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Football's Ultimate Journeyman Has Retired After Playing For 31 Clubs In 26 Years

Football's Ultimate Journeyman Has Retired After Playing For 31 Clubs In 26 Years

At the age of 44, Uruguayan Sebastian Abreu played his final game on Friday.

Josh Lawless

Josh Lawless

Today is a sad day for football as the sport's ultimate journeyman retires from the game.

44-year-old Sebastian Abreu calls time on his unparalleled 26-year career after playing for an incredible 31 clubs.

After announcing his retirement on Thursday, Abreu played his final match for Sud America against Liverpool Montevideo in the Uruguayan league - taking him to 851 official appearances.

'El Loco' signed for Sud in March, just over a month after joining Brazilian side Athletic Club - where he played four times before his contract was terminated due to the COVID-19 pandemic.


In 2017, the veteran striker broke the Guinness World Record for the most professional football clubs played for when he signed a deal with Chilean Primera División side Audax Italiano.

He's played for a further five clubs since then, leaving previous holder Lutz Pfannenstiel, a former German goalkeeper who turned out for 27 clubs, in the dust as he continued adding to his Wikipedia page.

Abreu made his debut at Defensor and has gone on to play for clubs in 12 countries, including Spain, Argentina, Mexico, Greece Ecuador, Israel, Brazil, Paraguay, Chile and his native Uruguay.

Image: PA
Image: PA

He also had brief and unsuccessful spells at both Santa Tecla and Boston River, where he was player-manager.

"It is the right moment: the curtain of the footballer is lowered and that of the coach is opened," Abreu commented.

"I am retiring current, active, 44 years old, with the team in a good sporting situation. I am totally convinced that it is time."

Going into his final outing, Abreu has scored a total of 404 goals - including 22 in 37 games for Uruguay.

In the shoot-out with Ghana, he scored the penalty that sent Oscar Tabarez's side into the World Cup semi-finals in 2010 and lifted the Copa America a year later.

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Topics: Football, Uruguay