Experienced centre-forward Gonzalo Higuain has revealed that he will retire from professional football once the 2022 MLS season has finished.
The 34-year-old has been with Inter Miami since 2020, scoring 27 goals and registering 11 assists in 67 appearances for the American club.
Higuain has been in strong form this season, meanwhile, scoring 14 goals and providing three assists in 26 MLS appearances, with Phil Neville's side sitting seventh in the Eastern Conference ahead of their final two regular season games against Orlando City and Montreal.
However, the former Argentina international has said that he will hang up his boots at the end of the current campaign, bringing an end to a career that started at River Plate in 2005.
"Three or four months ago I told the club, it wasn't from one day to the next," Higuain said during a press conference. "I had been working on it for years. When I came here, I came for the pleasure of enjoying football, of my life, of having Fede close, my brother.
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"It was another stage in my career, but I can tell you that it was one of the best moments of my career, and this club, my teammates and the coaching staff gave it to me, who gave me back the desire to play football. I can now retire as I always dreamed, scoring goals and having fun playing the game."
Higuain has played for Real Madrid, Napoli, Juventus, AC Milan and Chelsea during a highly-successful career which has seen him win three La Liga titles, three Serie A crowns and the Europa League.
The striker has scored five times in his last four league games for Inter Miami, and the team's head coach Neville lavished praise on the South American following the win over Toronto last time out.
"The whole dressing room looks at him as a leader. I think what we've done is provide him with a team and a platform, and he's given the team back more," Neville told reporters at the weekend.
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"We've got a world-class player in Gonzalo, and he's delivering everything and more for the team that worships him. It's brilliant to see the happiness in which he's playing his futbol, the happiness in the way he comes to work every single day, and he's got the whole dressing room playing to his tune.
"That's through respect and encouragement, on top of his performances. That's what you get from winners."
On Monday, Inter Miami released the following statement on their website: "Inter Miami CF forward Gonzalo Higuain announced today that he will retire at the conclusion of the 2022 MLS season.
"The Argentine's stellar 17-and-a-half-year career saw him feature in the top divisions of Italy, Spain and England for several of the world's most famous clubs, as well as the Argentinian national team, compiling a glittering record of over 300 goals and over 100 assists across more than 700 appearances."
Inter Miami have now won their last three games against Columbus Crew, DC United and Toronto to move themselves into a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Matt Law
