Sergio Aguero sobbed uncontrollably as he admitted he had been forced to retire by a heart condition, at the camp Nou on Wednesday.
In front of Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola, who had flown in especially for the Argentinian’s farewell announcement, Aguero admitted hearing the news that his career was over aged 33 was hard to take.
But after a video of his greatest goals, and an admission that his league-winning strike for Manchester City is one of the moments of his career he laughed about the way he will want to be remembered.
‘It’s not up to me,’ he said. ‘It will be up to others’. And too much laugher he added with a cheeky smile: ‘It’s possible I was a crack (a great player)’.
Guardiola and current Barcelona coach Xavi then joined Aguero on the stage in front of the Camp Nou pitch which Aguero barely had the chance to grace in his five months at the club.
Asked for the best moments of his career he spoke first of a famous goal he had scored for Independiente in Argentina against Racing when he was just 16, and then of helping Atletico Madrid secure the Europa League against Fulham in 2010.
Then he said: ‘The goal v Queen’s Park Rangers because it meant I won my first Premier League, and City won its first Premier League.’
Barcelona striker Aguero was diagnosed with cardiac arrhythmia and told to stop playing
There were also mentions for his part in winning the Copa America this year alongside Lionel Messi who he believed he was teaming up with when he moved to Barcelona only for Messi to move to Paris Saint Germain. And his last ever goal: for Barcelona against Real Madrid.
‘It’s not bad for that to be the last goal,’ he said beaming, now recovered from the first difficult moments when he had to fight back the tears.
‘I’m glad to be here telling the story,’ he said when asked about the relief that his heart problem had no greater immediate consequence than him having to go for tests on his heart.
The 33-year-old struggled to get words out before he made the retirement statement
‘When they did the first tests they told me there was a real chance I would not play again. And when they later told me it was definitive it took a while to take it in board,’ he added.
Asked if it made it easier knowing that the problem had forced him to retire at the end of his career and not at the start he said: ‘Yes it’s better that way and I’m very happy for the career I’ve had.’
Aguero only played 165 minutes for Barcelona after moving there in the summer from Manchester City.
