Argentina great Javier Mascherano bids farewell to football, aged 36

Mascherano, the most capped player of the La Albiceleste, was an attacking midfielder. In club football, he played for River Plate, Corinthians, Liverpool, and Barcelona amongst other clubs.

Buenos Aires: Argentina football great Javier Mascherano has announced his retirement from the game at the age of 36.

Mascherano, the most capped player of the La Albiceleste, was an attacking midfielder. In club football, he played for River Plate, Corinthians, Liverpool, and Barcelona amongst other clubs.

He made his surprise announcement after his side Estudiantes lost 1-0 to Argentinos Juniors in a league match on Sunday.

• Emblema, símbolo y referente de @Argentina 🇦🇷
  
  ¡Muchas gracias por todo, Masche! 👏🏻 pic.twitter.com/EO4D89xPMH

  — Selección Argentina 🇦🇷 (@Argentina) November 15, 2020 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  Emblema, símbolo y referente de @Argentina 🇦🇷
  
  ¡Muchas gracias por todo, Masche! 👏🏻 pic.twitter.com/EO4D89xPMH

  — Selección Argentina 🇦🇷 (@Argentina) November 15, 2020

  ">

  Emblema, símbolo y referente de @Argentina 🇦🇷
  
  ¡Muchas gracias por todo, Masche! 👏🏻 pic.twitter.com/EO4D89xPMH

  — Selección Argentina 🇦🇷 (@Argentina) November 15, 2020

“I lived my profession 100%, to the maximum that I possibly can, and for a while now that has been getting harder,” he told reporters. “Sometimes you don’t choose the end, it happens all by itself.”

Javier Mascherano made 334 appearances for Barcelona from 2010 to 2018.

Mascherano enjoyed his most successful spell at Barcelona, where he won 19 titles in eight years, including five La Ligas and two Champions Leagues.

• Thanks for the legacy you have left in the world of football, and especially at Barça, @Mascherano. You will always be one of us. 💙❤️ pic.twitter.com/u0CcWsYpoS

  — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) November 15, 2020 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  Thanks for the legacy you have left in the world of football, and especially at Barça, @Mascherano. You will always be one of us. 💙❤️ pic.twitter.com/u0CcWsYpoS

  — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) November 15, 2020

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  Thanks for the legacy you have left in the world of football, and especially at Barça, @Mascherano. You will always be one of us. 💙❤️ pic.twitter.com/u0CcWsYpoS

  — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) November 15, 2020

He played 147 times for Argentina, appearing in four World Cup finals. He also won two gold medals with the Argentine Olympics team in 2004 and 2008.