Former Argentina Star Juan Roman Riquelme Announces Retirement From Football

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Riquelme has most recently been with Argentinos Juniors.

Former Argentina international midfielder Juan Roman Riquelme has announced his retirement from football this evening, with the one time Barcelona and Villarreal playmaker deciding to call it a day at the age of 36 after a brief spell with Argentinos Juniors, where Riquelme started his youth career.

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Known as a free kick specialist capable of scoring some outrageous long range goals, Riquelme had the best spell of his career with La Liga side Villarreal after a less successful stint in Spanish football with Barcelona, almost reaching the Champions League final before a heartbreaking semi-final defeat against Arsenal at El Madrigal in which he missed a penalty.

The other club Riquelme was synonymous with throughout his career was Boca Juniors, who Riquelme played for both at the start and at the end of his long career, turning out in the famous yellow and blue shirts of Boca well over 300 times during two spells, scoring almost 75 goals.

Riquelme gained 51 senior caps for Argenina and scored 17 goals in the process, although his biggest moment for his country was arguably when he was substituted by Jose Pekerman during a tense quarter final against Germany at the 2006 World Cup, the moment that turned the match in the Germans’ favour.

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