Former Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Liverpool man, Thiago Alcantara, has decided to call time on his football career after leaving Liverpool.
German midfield maestro Toni Kroos has set a new wave in motion with his retirement from football at the young age of 34. The former Bayern Munich Bayer 04 Leverkusen and Real Madrid man was knocked out with Germany from the ongoing UEFA European Championship by Spain, ending his swansong in an abrupt manner. Before that, he picked up the LaLiga and UEFA Champions League titles from the 2023/24 season.
His retirement at that age came as a surprise because he was at the peak of his powers. However, the Greifswald-born midfielder stated that he would like to retire that way, a move that many have used to slander Cristiano Ronaldo, who is currently experiencing a poor run of form.
Thiago must feel the same way, having chosen to retire from the sport at the age of 33.
The Italian-born Spanish-Brazilian joined Barcelona’s La Masia setup in 2005 and made his debut as an 18-year-old in 2009. He went on to win four LaLiga titles and a UEFA Champions League before Guardiola signed him for Bayern Munich, where he would end up spending seven seasons as a key part of one of the most dominant Bayern eras in history.
After a trophy-laden stint in Germany, he signed for Liverpool in 2020. It was there that his injury woes started.
Thiago would spend four years in Anfield, making less than 100 appearances thanks to recurring injuries that saw him play less than 30 games every season. It was even worse in the 2023/24, where he could only appear once for the 19-time English top-flight champions.
Liverpool chose not to extend his contract and he was given a hero’s farewell alongside Jürgen Klopp and Joel Matip. Now, foremost transfer news journalist Fabrizio Roman has reported the midfielder’s intention to hand his boots instead of seeking a new club, just like Toni Kroos did.
The midfielder has not released a statement to that effect yet, but Romano’s stories are rarely inaccurate, which means that it is only a matter of time before he does.
Klopp extolled the midfielder’s talents and character at their farewell from Anfield at the end of last season, saying: “Before he even came to Liverpool I believed that if you really love football it would make a lot of sense if you watched Thiago Alcantara play.
“Technically, he is so, so good. A talent who could play in any team in the world and it was a privilege to have him with us.
“I already knew a lot about him as a footballer before he got here – what he did at Barcelona and Bayern Munich, how could you not? – and I could not have been happier when he decided to take on a new challenge with us.
“From that point on I got to see him up close and all I can say is ‘Wow’. Most importantly, he was part of a new story and helped us develop as a team because of his special qualities.
“I know injuries have been a frustration for him and also for us but the level that he was able to play at when he was available was incredible. This is what I will remember.”
