Nicolás Mazzola quits football for ABVI basketball shock move | OneFootball

At 36 years old, Nicolás Mazzola retired from professional football after his last stint with Sol de Mayo and will take an unexpected turn: he will join the basketball team of Albiceleste, with which he will make his debut this weekend in the First Division of the 2026 Opening Tournament of the Lower Valley Basketball Association (ABVI).

The forward played in the youth categories of Sol de Mayo until he was 14, when he moved to Buenos Aires to join the youth teams of Independiente de Avellaneda, where he debuted in 2008 under the guidance of Pedro Troglio. At Rojo, he played few matches but was part of the squad that won the 2010 Copa Sudamericana with Antonio Mohamed as coach.

In his extensive career, he gained experience in several First Division teams: Instituto (where he achieved promotion), Gimnasia de La Plata, Unión, and Arsenal de Sarandí. He also played abroad: he played for Locarno in Switzerland, O’Higgins in Chile, Panetolikos in Greece, and Xinabajul in Guatemala.

Additionally, he represented the Argentine National Team: in 2007 he was called up by Hugo Tocalli for the South American Under-17 and then played in the World Cup of the category that same year.

In 2024 he returned to Sol de Mayo and on October 5, 2025 he played his last professional match, in the 2-1 victory against San Martín de Formosa at the Estadio Albiceleste.

Now he will remain linked to the club where he was born: he swapped the No. 5 for the No. 7 and stars in one of the most striking stories of the year for local basketball.

The message with which he put an end to his career

It was an incredible journey, full of emotions. I lived unforgettable moments and fulfilled many more dreams than I ever imagined.

Thank you, football, for allowing me to visit countries, different leagues, play international cups, and face great players and teams both nationally and internationally.

Also, thank you for allowing me to wear the most beautiful jersey in the world: that of the Argentine Youth National Team. Defending those colors was one of the greatest honors and fulfilled dreams of my career.

Thank you to my mom and dad for always being there, for the sacrifices, and for allowing me to leave home so young to pursue this dream.

Thank you to my wife, my partner in a thousand battles, for always being by my side, for handling many situations alone, and for leading our family with so much love.

Thank you, Mono, my friend and my agent, for coming at a difficult time in my career and helping me move forward, always thinking of what was best for me.

A special thanks to Club Atlético Villa San Carlos. Although today its jersey is not in the video, the memory of my time at the club will always be present.

Thanks also to every teammate, coaching staff, doctors, equipment managers, and everyone who is part of this sport. Football gave me friendships that I will carry with me forever.

And thank you to every fan who supported me throughout all these years. Your affection and every encouraging message were a huge motivation.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.