Fabio Quagliarella confirms ‘forced’ retirement from football | OneFootball

Italian football icon Fabio Quagliarella has, on Sunday, announced his official retirement from the game.

Quagliarella of course holds a special place in the hearts of many a fan across Italy, having lined out for the likes of Juventus, Napoli, Udinese, and Torino.

Whilst never considered a ‘great goalscorer’, the frontman was the ultimate ‘scorer of great goals’, having netted some of the most memorable and spectacular finishes in the recent history of Serie A.

Now 40, though, Quagliarella has been without a club since the summer, following the expiration of his contract with Sampdoria, where he was handed an emotional farewell.

And, as alluded to above, this Blucerchiati stint is set to prove the last of a glittering career.

Speaking in an interview with Sky Sport Italia on Sunday, Quagliarella confirmed that he has come to the decision to hang up his boots.

This comes owing to his ‘physical shape’, deemed ‘far from acceptable’ for a return to the pitch:

“I am forced to stop playing. I am a free agent now, but my physical shape is far from acceptable to return on the pitch. Now, I have time to understand which path I can take.”

Conor Laird | GIFN