Here is a look at the sportsmen who said goodbye to their profession in 2018.
CRICKET
Dwayne Bravo: Celebrated West Indian all-rounder Dwayne Bravo took retirement in 2018. Bravo, who debuted in 2004, was part of 40 Tests, 164 One Day Internationals and 66 T20s before retiring on October 25.
Alastair Cook: Cook is an English opening batsman who said goodbye to cricket this year. 33 years old batsman, who debuted in 2006, played 161 Tests, 92 ODIs and 4 T20s in his career which is spanned over 12 years.
AB de Villiers: Abraham Benjamin de Villiers, commonly known by his initials AB de Villiers is a South African batsman who was first seen in action against England in a Test match in 2004. The 34-year-old batsman had played 114 Tests, 228 ODIs and 78 T20s ever since. On May 23, de Villiers announced his sudden retirement from international cricket which took all by surprise.
Muhammad Hafeez: Dressing room “professor”, who has helped Pakistan in many crucial moments, felt that the “time is up” for him and took retirement on December 4. 38-year-old batsman debuted against Bangladesh in 2003 at Karachi and played 55 Tests, 203 ODIs and 89 T20s in his career.
Azhar Ali: On November 1, former skipper Pakistan Cricket Team took retirement from ODIs in order to “focus on Test Career”. He had played 70 Tests, 53 ODIs and 49 T20s. The 33-year-old took reins of the team in 2017 after the retirement of his colleague and predecessor Misbah ul Haq.
Gautam Gambhir: The top-order Indian batsman Gautam Gambhir took retirement from international cricket on December 3. 37 years old batsman, who debuted in 2003, had played 58 Tests, 147 ODIs and 37 T20.
FOOTBALL
Arsène Wenger: After serving as manager of Arsenal FC for 22 years, Arsène Wenger – one of the most iconic figures in the history of football– announced to part ways with the club at the end of the season. A former football player by profession, Wenger joined Arsenal in 1996 as its manager.
Gianluigi Buffon:
Well, Gianluigi Buffon, commonly shortened to Gigi Buffon, has not retired as per se, but he parted ways with his Italian club Juventus after seventeen years in an emotional farewell match.
“Seventeen years in black and white [officially] end today. Seventeen years of friends, team-mates, tears, victories, [defeats,] trophies, words, anger, disappointments, happiness, and many, many emotions. I will never forget anything. I will always carry everything with me.”
Andrés Iniesta
Another player, Andrés Iniesta, has also not retired from football but he also said farewell to Barcelona after playing for the senior team for 16 years. He joined the club when he was 12 years old. He made his 674th and final appearance for Barcelona on 20 May, in the final league match of the season.
Fernando Torres
Well, Fernando Torres, also bid farewell to the first club he joined, Atletico Madrid, in 2018. Torres joined Madrid in 2001 and played till 2007. He rejoined the club in 2015 and left it in 2018 in an emotional farewell.
Ronaldinho
One of the greatest players of football, Ronaldinho took retirement this year from every level of the game. On 16 January 2018, he confirmed his retirement from football through his brother/agent: “He has stopped, it is ended.”
Following is the video, when he said the final goodbye to Camp Nou (Barcelona Club’s stadium).
Michael Carrick
He is one of the most decorated English players of all time and is best known for his 12-year playing career with Manchester United.
