Mario Mandžukić announced the end of his playing career on Friday. One of the greatest Croatian footballers of all time said goodbye to his beloved sport after seventeen years on the pitch.
Mario announced the news in an emotional Instagram post on Friday.
“Dear little Mario,
While you put on these boots for the first time, you can’t even imagine what you will get to experience in football. You’ll score goals at the biggest stages and you’ll win the biggest trophies with the biggest clubs. Proudly representing your nation, you will help write the history of Croatian sports.
You’ll succeed because you’ll have good people around you – teammates, coaches, fans, and family, agent and friends who will always be there for you. You’ll be forever grateful to all of them!
Above all, you’ll succeed because you’ll always give your best. At the end, that’s what you’ll be most proud of. You’ll sacrifice a lot, but you’ll know it was worth it because of all the amazing moments.
You’ll recognize the moment to retire, to put these boots in a cabinet and you’ll have no regrets. Football will always be a part of your life, but you’ll look forward to a new chapter.
Enjoy!
Your big Mario
P.S. If you happen to play vs England in the World Cup, just be ready around 109th minute”
Mario most recently played for AC Milan, and news of a new transfer covered headlines in recent months. Mario, however, decided it was time, ending his career at 35 years old.
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