Serie A side Lecce have announced the retirement of midfielder Joan Gonzalez at the age of just 23.
The Spaniard came through Barcelona‘s La Masia academy before joining Lecce in 2021 and graduating to their first team in 2022.
Gonzalez instantly became a regular in Italy, playing 36 games in 2022/23 and 2023/24.
Yet in the summer of 2024 a heart condition was spotted during pre-season tests which kept him out of the 2024/25 campaign.
Now a year on, it’s been confirmed that Gonzalez would be putting his health at risk to continue playing, and he’s made the tough decision to step away from the game.
“It’s one of the most difficult days, but also one of the most significant of my life, both personally and professionally,” he said.
“After months of reflection and moments of uncertainty, the time has come to announce that I’m ending my career as a footballer.
“I remember matchdays as if they were yesterday: the feel of the wet turf, the shouts from the stands, the sharp sound of the ball hitting my boot, the nerves before the kickoff… Moments that I now feel deeply because I know they won’t come back.
“Everything that I once saw as ordinary, I now know was special. And for that, I want to give thanks.”
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