Announced for several days, the retirement of Eric Abidal is now official. The 35 year old defender has indeed confirmed the end of his career this Friday at a press conference organized by his club Olympiakos. His future could form the side of Barcelona.
A few days after Thierry Henry, another major player in French football in recent years has announced his retirement. This is Eric Abidal, who bowed out on Friday at a press conference organized by his club Olympiakos, after fourteen years of professionalism.
“C is a coincidence. With Titi, it was not at all coordinated. It is difficult to compare myself to him, because it was a really top-notch player and I did not get half of his career , told the player trained in Lyon-La Duchère before starting to AS Monaco in 2000. I’m leaving for personal reasons. A football player should know how and when to leave. I been very happy moments in my career. There are two months I have told President (Olympiakos Evangelos Marinakis, ed) I mouillerai the jersey but I go on December because the time had arrived. Now I’m going to rest with my family and my friends. “
Playing football was a way for me to forget the disease
Eric Abidal
After the ASM (2000-2002) and Lille (2002-2004) before exploding in Lyon ( between 2004 and 2007), Eric Abidal has one of the best track records in French football Triple 2000s France champion and winner of the League Cup with OL, his career took on even greater significance the colors of FC Barcelona, with whom he played nearly two hundred games and especially two Champions League titles won four La Liga and two Spanish Cups.
Both comfortable on the left side in the center of the defense, the French left a lasting impression with the Blaugrana, where in addition to his player qualities, he scored his teammates and the public by his sacrifice. Operated for a tumor and liver transplant recipient in 2012, he had been able to pick up the threads of his career in 2013, 402 days after his last match. “It was one of the greatest moments of my career. Football is full of ups and downs. We should always keep this perseverance, this desire, this determination. Playing football was a way for me forget the disease. It was harder than winning a trophy. “
In France team, Abidal had 67 selections in both the best (the final World Cup 2006) and the worst (the fiasco of the 2010 World Cup). “My best memories for France remain my first selection (18 August 2004 against Bosnia 1 -1) and the World Cup 2006. It is for these moments that we want to do this job. I learned a lot and it allowed me to spend a plateau after Lyon. “
The adventure is completed by end of this year after a brief comeback in Monaco last season for the return of the club of the Principality among the elite, and last few months freelancing in Greece. Now Eric Abidal wants to give time before discussing later. Olympiakos and FC Barcelona both he proposed a restructuring. His last game as a professional is planned Saturday in the league face Kallonis.
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