Frog leaves football: “Something has gone out, I no longer have the passion”

Endgame. This is the only comment on the long video with which Andrea Ranocchia on his social networks has decided to announce the retirement. After the consensual resolution with Monza, the defender – 34 years old – has in fact made it known that he has decided to say goodbye to football for personal reasons.

One switch

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“My last year and a half was not easy – he says in the video from his Bastia Umbra -, slowly the passion I have always felt for this game faded away. In May last year, when I was still at Inter Milan. , I felt that something was not right but I did not understand what it was. With the club we decided to separate because I wanted to find new stimuli and new emotions and I was lucky enough to find Monza which gave me an opportunity and great confidence, offering me a excellent contract and the chance to get back into the game and understand what was happening to me. Unfortunately at the beginning of the season the sensations had not improved and going forward it is as if a switch had gone off, there was no more passion. at the beginning I didn’t want to accept it, I went ahead with commitment, but I felt that there was nothing left inside me. Then there was this bad injury in Naples that would have kept me away for months: without the necessary passion and determination to return I thought it right not to make fun of anyone, starting with myself. I heard Galliani and I expressed my discomfort and my decision, he understood and we left as friends and with great respect. I have nothing more to give at this time. Now I am taking some time to put all these emotions and my thoughts for the future in order. I really don’t think I’ll go back to playing football, that’s not what I want. ”

From Montanelli to Conte

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Ranocchia also dedicates a lot of time to thanks, giving in to emotion several times: “Thirty years ago I started playing football with enormous passion, in the pitches of Bastia Umbra, they were wonderful moments. I had the great fortune to see that passion transformed in my work, I have been in contact with many players, coaches, directors and I will carry important memories of each of them. As coach Pietro Montanelli, whom I met in Perugia and who rediscovered me as a defender. With professionalism I have always continued to have fun. – and here his voice breaks – from Bastia I arrived in Arezzo where I met Antonio Conte who literally transformed me into a winner, because he changes your way of thinking and growing. Conte launched me into real football . I spent very beautiful, carefree moments, I went around many changing rooms and this enriched me in an incredible way, improved me and made me who I am today. I thank the teammates I have had, since I was 5 at the Monza boys. I played with incredible talents, in Inter, in the national team, I played with and against great champions in the most beautiful stadiums in the world and this fills me with pride. At these levels, no one gives you anything. Everyone gave me something, I hope I gave them something. And finally, I thank my family, my wife Giulia and my children, they gave me joy and support. I’m lucky because I have a really nice team behind me. “