“No more calcium, it’s toxic. Napoli and Juve, that’s how it went »- Corriere.it

Only a few days ago in tears and surrounded by family, teammates and Inter Miami managers, Gonzalo Higuain announced his farewell to football. Before taking this step, he told himself in an interview with goal.com. He talked about his passion for football, and above all he revealed that he will distance himself from this world. “It’s a world that has gone toxicHe said without turning too much around. He opened the drawer of memories, the beautiful ones but also the ones that caused him pain. “When I was a child, I started using the ball for the love I have for this sport – he said -. I didn’t do it because I wanted to be famous or something. I always dreamed of wanting to become a professional player but, at the time, I didn’t really know what it came from. I was hoping that growing up and becoming a professional footballer I would feel the same things, then you realize it’s not the same. The love for sport is not the same for many reasons: money, sports directors and contracts. Your life changes completely, so I had to live with it. I have lived many experiences: some great, others less ».

Pipita, who recently also revealed that he was bullied, will be remembered as a player capable of scoring anywhere: “If I have to judge by the time I spent in a club, I can say Real Madrid, Napoli, Juve for the mutual affection that binds me to these squares. I have had good moments in all the clubs where I have played and also in the national team ». Higuain has played with many champions. And with two champions like Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo: «Many could talk about pressure to play alongside them, but I don’t agree. They take responsibility when things don’t go well and for me it has been a privilege to be able to play with two of the greatest players of all time, in their heyday.. And now they are not only great former teammates, but also great friends ».

In his career, the transfer, in 2016, from Napoli to Juventus was discussed, a few months after having made the record of 36 goals in Serie A, in a single championship. his overthrow remains memorable. In Naples he was loved, only to be considered a traitor: «These are moments that are impossible to forget. It is one of the best sensations you can experience as a player, which is to hear a stadium full of people screaming your name after a goal: I get goosebumps thinking about it today. But the reverse can also happen. It’s not all good in football. One day 60 thousand people are screaming your name, 15 days later they could insult you. Things change fast, very fast. So over time I have tried to learn that praise does not lead me too high and criticism does not lead me too low ».

And on criticism: «When you are number 9, in that role, you are constantly in the eye of the storm and criticism. I scored more than 350 goals and the people I met never told me the words I then read on social media. In those moments you suffer, but perhaps without them I would not have been able to fully enjoy all that I have achieved. Sometimes you score three goals and miss the fourth and that’s what they remember, but I’m more than proud and happy with the success I’ve had. From bad moments you learn to mature, to grow, and I personally do not regret anything. I have lost many finals: Copa America and World Cup and I had the misfortune of being the one who missed an important scoring opportunity. Those were tough times, but then a year later I was sold to Juventus for 90 million and became the most expensive Argentine ever. That’s when you realize that nothing can distract you from your goal. Of course, I’m super proud of what I’ve achieved. I played for the best clubs in the world ».

Higuain also spoke about his post-football life, and then announced his farewell to the ball at the conference: “I’d like to explore the world of cooking, maybe play the guitar or learn English, but I have no intention of staying in football, at least in the short term. It is a world that becomes more and more toxic every day and I no longer see myself in it. I want to get away from sports. Yes, I will watch it, but I know what I experienced. I think it’s just a world that I don’t belong to as much as I thought I belonged initially. After football I want to open my mind and enjoy my family and my life ».