Former European Championship champion Ciro Immobile hangs up his boots at age 36

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Ciro Immobile, a member of Italy’s Euro 2020-winning team, announced his retirement at the age of 36 in a video published Friday.

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In the video, Immobile addressed his teammates at French Ligue 1 club Paris FC, which he joined in January.

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“It’s a very difficult moment for me because it’s the end of one of the greatest periods of my life. I loved this job with all my heart, but I want to be honest with myself about the current situation,” he explained.

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“If I can no longer keep pushing when I’m in pain, when I’m training, if I can’t give my best, it’s hard,” he added.

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“It’s not an easy decision because you are incredible guys, a great family… but for me it’s time to spend time with my family. They followed me everywhere, I needed them for 17 years, and today they need me.”

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The prolific Immobile scored 350 goals in 656 matches for a series of clubs.

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He notched 207 goals in 340 matches for Lazio, where he played from 2016 to 2024, becoming the club’s all-time leading scorer.

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Immobile also played abroad, for Borussia Dortmund (2014-2016), Sevilla (2016) and Besiktas in Turkey.

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He won 57 international caps and was part of the Squadra Azzurra side that were crowned European champions in a tournament delayed until 2021 by the Covid pandemic, when Italy beat England in a penalty shootout at Wembley.

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After a serious thigh injury left him sidelined in Italy, Immobile joined Paris FC in February until the end of the season with an additional year as an option.

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He managed just two league goals for the newly promoted club that is owned by the LVMH luxury brands family.

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AFP

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