Former Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain has announced his retirement from professional football with immediate effect.
Higuain joined Real Madrid in December 2006 in a €12 million deal and went on to win several domestic honours, including three La Liga titles, scoring 107 goals in 190 league appearances.
The Argentine moved to Serie A side Napoli for €40 million in July 2013, where he won the Coppa Italia during his debut season. In the 2015–16 season, El Pipita netted 36 league goals, winning the Capocannoniere title and equalling the legendary Gino Rossetti’s 87-year-old record for goals in an Italian top-flight season.
Following his goal scoring exploits in Naples, Juventus snatched him for €90 million in 2016 becoming one of the highest football transfers of all-time and highest ever transfer for an Italian club.
He won domestic doubles in his first two seasons with the Old Ladies, also reaching the 2017 Champions League final with the club.
The 35-year old had a loan spell with AC Milan, and later to Premier League giants Chelsea in January 2019, where he won the Europa League before returning to Juventus. He was part of the Argentina squad that narrowly missed out on winning the World Cup in 2014.
After a move to Inter Miami in 2020, Higuaín announced his plans to retire from football at the end of the 2022 season. He netted 14 league goals for the MLS side in his 21st campaign as a senior player.