Lucas Leiva, a former midfielder for Liverpool, retires at age 36

17 March (Reuters) Lucas Leiva, a former midfielder for Liverpool and Lazio, announced his retirement from football on Friday owing to a heart issue, ending a 17-year professional career.

The 36-year-old played close to 600 games in his professional career, the most of them in Europe after joining Liverpool in 2007 and playing five seasons with Lazio before going to Italy’s Serie A in 2017.

Leiva returned to Gremio last summer, making 17 appearances and scored three goals for the Brazilian team before being sidelined in December after receiving the heart condition diagnosis after regular testing.

“I want to thank Gremio for all of their help over the last three months. I’m announcing my retirement today. It’s been a challenging time, “Leiva said during a press briefing.

“I’m not finishing as I’d want to, but where I’d like to. Yet a new cycle will undoubtedly start. I was quite hopeful that things might reverse, but that did not happen. I put my health first.”

The Brazilian received 24 international appearances in addition to winning the 2007 South American Under-20 Championship.

Janina Nuno Rios reported from Mexico City, while Pritha Sarkar edited her work.