Image via @LFC Twitter
Lucas Leiva, a former Liverpool player, announced his retirement from football at the age of 36 due to a heart condition.
The problem was found while being tested by Gremio, the Brazilian defensive midfielder’s boyhood team, for which he had signed a new contract.
Leiva spent 10 seasons at Anfield after being acquired by Liverpool for £5 million in 2007. He made 346 appearances throughout that time.
“I can only be thankful for the career I built,” Leiva said on social media.
“The day has come to say goodbye to the field. I confess that it came from greater forces.”
Leiva added in a tearful news conference: “I’m ending where I’d like, not the way I’d like. I had a lot of hope that it could reverse, but it was not the case. My health comes first.”
Once Javier Mascherano and Xabi Alonso left the Liverpool midfield, he was able to establish himself as a regular starter.
Leiva won the League Cup in 2012 despite being injured and missing the title game. In the 2016 Europa League final, which Jurgen Klopp’s team lost to Sevilla 3-1, Leiva was not utilized as a substitute.
His 247 Premier League appearances for Liverpool rank fourth all-time among Brazilians in the history of the league.
Leiva signed a £5 million contract with Lazio in 2017 and later helped the Serie A team win the Coppa Italia. He also received 24 Brazil appearances.