Retirement Announcement

Former Italy international Fabio Quagliarella has officially retired from football at the age of 40. The forward, who has been without a club since being released by Sampdoria in July, cited his "unacceptable physical condition" as the reason for his decision.

Quagliarella's Career

Quagliarella earned 28 caps for Italy, scoring eight goals. He made his international debut in 2007 and played for the national team until 2019. After a nearly decade-long absence, he returned to the Italy set-up in 2019 and scored two goals in three matches. However, he was not selected again.

Throughout his career, Quagliarella played for several top Italian clubs, including Torino, Fiorentina, Chieti, Ascoli, Sampdoria, Udinese, Napoli, and Juventus. He scored a total of 92 goals in 251 games during his seven-year spell with Sampdoria.

Tributes from Juventus and Sampdoria

Upon hearing the news of Quagliarella's retirement, Juventus and Sampdoria both paid tribute to the former player. Juventus tweeted, "True champion, true man, supreme talent. Fabio is one of those players who stay in the heart." Sampdoria also praised Quagliarella, calling him a "footballing icon" and wishing him luck in his future endeavors.

It remains to be seen what Quagliarella's next steps will be after retiring from professional football.