Bojan confirms retirement: "I'm proud & grateful for everything I've experienced"

Bojan confirms retirement: "I'm proud & grateful for everything I've experienced"

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The former Barcelona striker hangs his boots up at the age of 32

Bojan Krkic announced his retirement from professional football on Thursday at the age of 32. The former FC Barcelona striker confirmed what was an open secret in an emotional ceremony held in the Auditori 1899 of the Spotify Camp Nou. He brought an end to a career of 16 years in the elite back at the club that saw him take his first steps in the game.

"Thank you all for being here," Bojan started. "You are all very important people to me. I tried out for Barça at the age of eight and now, at the age of 32, after many years, experiences and personal learning, I would like to proudly announce that my time as a professional football player has come to an end.

!I am very grateful for everything I have experienced. Life is in stages and I feel that my time has come."

The now former player thanked Barça president Joan Laporta, "a very special person" for him, who allowed him to "say goodbye here, at the facilities of my club." He also thanked his father for coming to Barcelona for football and leaving his country, Serbia, and his mother for giving up her job as a nurse and being by his side during the years when he began his career.

He also said that, before retiring, he will play one last match with the Catalan national team: "Most of my career has been abroad and I am very happy to say goodbye with Catalonia. The FCF is working to organise a match at the beginning of June."

Globetrotter

Without a team since the end of January after finishing his contract with Vissel Kobe, his last club, Bojan leaves the field of play with a total of 451 official matches played in seven different countries (Spain, England, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Japan and Canada). He has worn the colours of Barça, Roma, Milan, Ajax, Stoke City, Mainz, Alavés, Montreal and Vissel Kobe.

Although he did not quite live up to the enormous expectations he generated at Barcelona the year he broke into the first team, Bojan has scored 93 goals and dished out 40 assists at the highest level of football. And he won three Spanish leagues, two Spanish Super Cups, two Champions Leagues, one Copa del Rey, one European Super Cup, one Club World Cup, one Eredivisie, one Dutch Super Cup and also a Canadian Championship.

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