Romario retires from football at age 42

April 20, 2008

Legendary Brazilian striker Romario has announced his retirement from the game at the age of 42.

“Officially I’m not playing any more. I’ve stopped,” he said. “My time is up. Everything has been a lot of fun.”

Romario will best be remembered in club football for his spell at Barcelona, forming a legendary strike partnership with Bulgarian Hristo Stoichkov, but he also had spells at Barcelona, PSV Eindhoven and Valencia after starting his career in his homeland with Vasco da Gama.

He was named World Player of the Year in 1994 after helping Brazil win the FIFA World Cup in USA, scoring a highly impressive 56 times in just 73 appearances for his country.

“These last 20 years for me have been very positive,” said Romario.

“To be honest, I’m stopping because I don’t see myself in any shape to continue playing.

“I haven’t played since November, I’ve put on three or four kilos since then and, at this age, it’s difficult to get back to fitness.”

Romario played in both the 1990 and the 1994 World Cups, scoring five goals in the latter tournament as Brazil defeated Italy in the final to be crowned World Champions.

He had four stints with Vasco, including a career finale as a player-coach in late 2007, he also played for Brazilian clubs Flamengo and Fluminese, as well as in Qatar and with Australian side Adelaide United.

Romario claims to have scored 1000 career goals, but has admitted many of these came in youth, testimonial or friendly matches.

His career has not been without controversy and following a game in October, he was banned for 120 days after testing positive for the banned masking agent finasteride.

He later had the ban overturned after an appeal during which he claimed to have inadvertently used the substance as part of treatment for hair loss.

After being sacked by Fluminese in 2004 due to poor performances, he ignored calls for him to retire and rejoined Vasco in 2005, scoring 22 goals to finish the top goalscorer in the Brazilian championship at the age of 39.

Sadly however, time has caught up with the legendary striker and he has played his last game at the age of 42.

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