Erik Lamela's painful account after announcing his retirement from football

International football bid farewell next weekend to one of its most recognized talents of the past decade. At 33 years old, Erik "Coco" Lamela officially announced his professional retirement, a decision he communicated through an open letter on his Instagram account. The former River, Tottenham, and Sevilla player revealed the reasons that led him to step aside, in a story filled with rawness, emotion, and gratitude.

In his message, Lamela confessed that the main reason behind his farewell was chronic hip injuries, which had accompanied him for more than a decade. "My problems began 11 years ago, and in 2017 I underwent surgery on both hips, with the left being the most affected. It was a very difficult year, I was afraid, I thought it could be the end of my career at just 25 years old," he recounted.

Although doctors warned him that, with luck, he could extend his career for four more years, the footballer doubled down. "With a lot of sacrifice, hours with physios, strengthening in the gym, endless injections and treatments, I managed to play twice as long. Nothing was easy. Having pain and training with discomfort became something normal in my daily life."

The former attacking midfielder revealed an even tougher side of his career in recent years: "For five years, I've been taking pills before every match to be able to compete in better conditions. I started with the lowest dose, and recently I reached the maximum, two days before the match. Today I decide to put an end to all this, today this effort ends."

His confession reflects the magnitude of the physical pain he endured to remain at the elite level of football, something few knew in depth and that now comes to light in a confessional tone.

2025 proved particularly difficult for Lamela, not only physically but also emotionally. He acknowledged that he could no longer train at the usual pace and that his preparation was reduced to cycling and gym work, far from the dynamics of the field. "I thank Matías Almeyda for allowing me to do so and my teammates for accepting it," he wrote regarding his last stint at AEK Athens.

Finally, the player explained that he reached a mutual agreement to terminate his contract. "I have the peace of mind of having gone all the way and of not having held anything back," he stated.