Lucas Leiva, the former midfielder for Liverpool and Lazio, announced in a press conference his retirement from football due to a heart condition, concluding a professional career that lasted 17 years. He expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Grêmio for all the support he received over the past three months. He stated, "I ended my career in the place I wanted, but not in the way I wished. However, I trust that a new chapter will begin; my health comes first."
The 36-year-old player participated in around 600 matches throughout his career, most of them in Europe, after joining Liverpool in 2007. He later moved to the Italian Serie A in 2017, where he played for five seasons with Lazio. Leiva returned last summer to his childhood club Grêmio, where he played 17 matches and scored three goals before missing the field in December when he was diagnosed with a heart crisis after routine examinations. Additionally, the Brazilian player, who won the South American Under-20 Championship in 2007, has 24 international caps.
