Just 31 years old. Former Milan and Juventus defender Mattia Caldara announces retirement from football
Steven Perez
Dailysports's expert
Italian defender Mattia Caldara has officially announced his retirement from professional football, penning an emotional letter addressed to the sport he loves.
Details: In his letter, Caldara admitted he struggled for a long time to make this decision, but the doctors' verdict—no cartilage in his ankle and the looming threat of a prosthesis—forced him to call time on his career.
"My body has finally betrayed me," Caldara wrote.
The defender revealed that his career path changed dramatically after a severe knee injury in 2018. Up until then, he was considered one of Italy's most promising defenders, starring for Atalanta before being signed by Juventus and then moving to Milan. But repeated injuries, long recoveries, and constant pain robbed him of the chance to return to his previous level.
Caldara candidly confessed that years of battling injuries led him into a psychological crisis. He stopped feeling like himself, became withdrawn, distanced himself from loved ones, and lived in constant anxiety:
"With each passing day, I could lift my head less and less. I didn't know who I was if I wasn't a footballer," said the former player.
Caldara is known for his stints with Atalanta, Cesena, Juventus, Milan, Venezia, Spezia, and the Italian national team.
The Italian defender's last club was Modena, where he made 27 appearances, scored one goal, and provided one assist.
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