In a surprising turn of events, Erik Lamela has officially announced the end of his career as a professional footballer. The attacking midfielder, who last season played for AEK Athens, made the decision to terminate his contract with the Greek club to hang up his boots and begin a new chapter in football, but from the technical side.
The former player will join Matías Almeyda's coaching staff at Sevilla in the coming days, a team that will compete only in domestic competitions this season. Almeyda and Lamela share a bond that dates back to River, where they were teammates, and which was strengthened in the past year, when the coach managed him in Greece.
From River to Europe, a career marked by talent
Lamela made his debut for River's first team in the 2009 Torneo Clausura at just 17 years old. Over the next two seasons, he established himself as one of the great prospects of Argentine football, although he did not win any titles with the club. His departure occurred in a difficult context, as after Millonario's relegation in 2011, he was sold to Roma for 12 million dollars, a record figure at the time.
In Italy, the attacking midfielder excelled for two seasons, scoring 21 goals in 67 matches, which caught the attention of Tottenham. His arrival in the Premier League in 2013 marked the longest chapter of his career: eight seasons, 257 matches, 37 goals, and two awards for the best goal of the year in England.
