Italian midfielder Andrea Pirlo announced Sunday his retirement from active competition at the end of the 2017 MLS season.
“You realize that the time has come. Every day you have physical problems, you cannot train as you want because you always have some problem. At my age, that’s enough,” Pirlo said in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“It’s not that you can go on forever until the age of 50. I’ll do something else. At 38, it’s just right to give young players room. I’m not angry. Instead, I will give a hand to teammates and to the coach.”
Pirlo, 38, is in his third season with New York City FC, having joined in 2015 from Juventus.
He began his career in 1994 with Italian side Brescia, and donned the colors of AC Milan and Juventus, winning six Serie A titles, two Coppa Italia trophies, two UEFA Champions Leagues, three Italian Super Cups, two UEFA Super Cups, a FIFA Club World Cup, and a FIFA World Cup with Italy in 2006.
