Played with Messi for Argentina, retires in Regional Amateur: "Toughest day of my life" | OneFootball

José Luis Gómez, who was a prominent figure at Lanús almost a decade ago and also played for the Argentine National Team with Lionel Messi, announced his retirement from professional football after wearing the jersey of Central Argentino de La Banda (Santiago del Estero).

“Today is the hardest day of my life. I have to say goodbye to football at 32. This love has come to an end,” expressed the right-back in an emotional Instagram post.

“Things didn’t turn out as one expected, but it’s time to face what’s coming. Thank you, football,” added the player, who won two titles with Lanús (2016 Transition Tournament and the Bicentennial Cup) and was also a finalist in the 2017 Libertadores.

José Luis Gómez faced various challenges in his career. One of the most critical moments was a severe knee injury during a tour with the National Team in 2017, which sidelined him at his peak. He even rushed his recovery to play against Gremio in the continental tournament final. Additionally, in 2021 he was transferred to Huracán but couldn’t play any matches there due to anemia.

In the Albiceleste, he was called up by Vasco Olarticoechea for the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games and later by Jorge Sampaoli. In the senior team, he played against Brazil and Singapore in friendlies and was not called up again.

José Luis Gómez was trained at Racing and later wore the jerseys of Granate and San Martín de San Juan in different periods. Among the various challenges he overcame, a few years ago he even worked as an Uber driver to make a living. Now, after his stint at Central Argentino de La Banda (Santiago del Estero), he has decided to hang up his boots.

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