Javier Pastore had his last step at Qatar SC (@qatarsportsclub)
He was one of the most promising players who gave Córdoba. After his debut in Workshopsthe creative flyer joined the Hurricane of Angel Capa who is remembered for the unfair defeat against Velez who was deprived of the title in 2009 due to the controversial arbitration of Gabriel Brazenas. His talent took him to Palermo of Italia, and after shining for two seasons he was hired by PSG.
Three years in Roma marked the stopover prior to his foray into Spanish football, but physical inconveniences caused him to suffer and he was unable to establish himself in the Elche. And in the twilight of his career, his last flashes of quality were improvised in Qatar. Javier Pastore announced his retirement from professional practice after a prolonged fight against injuries that prevented him from returning to his highest level. In a recent interview with Reliefthe talented midfielder expressed the reason for his decision with a forceful phrase: “We leave each other”.
The former midfielder 34 years He had not disputed an official commitment since first half of 2023. At the beginning of this year, the Cordoban underwent a surgery in which a prosthesis was placeda medical resource that initially fueled hope for his return to the fields. However, the physical conditions were not optimal, and it was the footballer himself who confirmed that “the best conditions are not given” for his return.
Javier Pastore He offered details of the difficult decision. “The body couldn’t take it anymore, the pain after the games was very strong“, stressed the virtuoso attacker who also participated in the World Cup that he organized South Africa in 2010 with the selection of Diego Maradona and was part of three editions of the Copa América (2011, 2015 and 2016). In the dialogue he also pointed out, a disconnect between his style of play and the current demands of footballwhich considers “increasingly more physical and less technical.” “C, and in conversations with the coaches they asked me that I had to run more, jump more and be faster. I am not an athlete, What makes me happy is playing ball, not running 20 kilometers per game”he recalled.
His decision also has family roots. In an emotional moment, he said that the turning point came when His son asked him to play in the garden and he couldn’t get up from the couch.. “I asked myself to be there despite the discomfort because of all the happiness that football gave me, but I was losing strength because it became unbearable.”, he confessed.
Despite his imminent retirement, the former PSG announced that football will continue to be a fundamental part of his life, and he hopes formalize his farewell before June 2025. His last steps in football were not the desired ones (16 games with Elche from Spain y 8 con Qatar SC). Although it had sounded in Boca and in the Globo In the last transfer market, his reality was far from the fields. A hip injury forced him to hang up his boots to prioritize his health. In fact, he decided to undergo an operation to “have a better life”.
“One always dreamed of retiring in Talleres“It’s what I always dreamed of as a child,” he had remarked a few years ago. But his desire will be cut short because his future will be far from official commitments.
