Lucas Leiva Retires from Football

The former Liverpool Midfielder Lucas Leiva announces his retirement from all sorts of football games, at the age of 36 due his heart condition. The Brazilian, had nearly played about 600 games in his 17 year club Career.

Lucas Joined Liverpool in 2007, staying at Anfield for more than 10 years before moving into Serie A in 2017, Where he played five seasons for Lazio FC.

Lucas Leiva’s Heart Problem

As the last summer transfers, Lucas Returned to his boyhood club, Gremio, thus making 17 appearances and scoring three goals for his side in last year. He was being sidelined in his club, after he was diagnosed with the heart issue after Routine tests.

He was then forced out of training after a heart issue was detected back in December. A club statement shared by Leiva at the time read: “The Medical Department of Gremio reports that the athlete Lucas Leiva presented, in the routine examinations of the pre-season, a picture of change in heart rhythm being, consequently, removed from physical activities until the completion of complementary tests and treatment of the condition.”

Lucas Leiva Interview about retirement

Lucas said in an interview on Friday as his heart issue had brought an end to his Career without completion in a premature way. “I would like to thank Gremio for all the support in these Three months. Today I am announcing my Retirement”. It’s been a difficult period.

“I’ m ending where I would like, not the way I would like. But I’m sure that a new cycle will begin. I had a lot of Hope that (issue) couldn’t be reversed. But it was not the case. My Health comes first”.

He posted in social media,” The day has come to say goodbye to the field. I Confess that it came from greater forces, but I look back and can only be thankful for the career I built. In 2007, I Got transferred to the giant Liverpool, which was part of my life for 10 years.

“It is with great pride that I can say that today Liverpool is my home. I’m proud to be an English citizen and along with my family, I’m [a] Scouser!”

Signed from Gremio for £6m in 2007, Lucas became a popular member of the Liverpool team as a defensive midfielder, earning a League Cup winner’s medal in 2012 and helping the club reach the 2016 Europa League final.

The Brazilian, who won the South American under 20 championship in 2007, also earned 24 international caps and won the Coppa Italia with Lazio in 2019.

Alberto Guerra About Lucas Leiva

Leiva secured a dream return to his first club in Brazil last summer. Club president Alberto Guerra said of the midfielder: “I had prepared a beautiful speech, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to say it all.

“I wanted to congratulate you  on a successful career. I’m very happy that you’re going to go on with a normal life. I want to say on behalf of all the Gremistas that few have represented us like you. That’s why so many people are moved by this moment. You are a great leader in the locker room that we all learned to respect.”

Leiva represented Liverpool for ten years after initially arriving from Gremio back in 2007. He made 346 appearances for the Reds and won the the League Cup in 2012. Whilst he was not part of an era which brought much success for Liverpool, he was highly-regarded by Reds fans and played over 300 games for the club.

Following the news of his retirement, his former club Liverpool paid a special message to him on social media. A tweet from the club’s official account read:

We’re all with you, @LucasLeiva87.

Congratulations on a brilliant career and we wish you the very best in your next chapter ❤️

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) March 17, 2023