In what is certainly the least glamourous retirement former Real Madrid and Portugal left-back Fabio Coentrao announced the end of his career. In front of a court.
Fabio Coentrao retired officially in January 2020 during questioning in front of a court
All footballers now retire through social media or on live television while acting as pundits but Coentrao did so while testifying in a case regarding the attack on Sporting's Academy. When asked to state his profession before starting questioning, Coentrao said: "I am a retired football player."
Coentrao has been without a club for six months as his season with Rio Ave finished with him recording 23 appearances. But he failed to find a new employer even though he was linked with clubs in the media. Italian magazines reported he was offered to Bologna and Fiorentina but obviously he lost the motivation to continue playing.
At only 31 years of age. But after 15 seasons in professional football having started just where he ended his career - in Rio Ave. A move to Benfica came to be in 2007 and that's where Fabio made his name but went on loans to Nacional, Zaragoza, and Rio Ave before making a breakthrough in the 2009/2010 season. Another good campaign made him a target for Real Madrid and Coentrao joined one of the most impressive sides of the 21st century.
Often playing behind his friend and compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo, Coentrao was featured by Los Blancos often enough in the first four seasons despite sharing the position with the best left-back in the world at the moment Marcelo. Overall, Coentrao played in 106 games for the biggest club in the world.
A loan to Monaco in the 2015/2016 saw the Portuguese play 19 games and the one to Sporting Lisbon 44! Both of them not too long ago.
But Coentrao still decided to retire. He won the Portuguese League, three League Cups, two Spanish Leagues, a Copa del Rey, a Spanish Super Cup, a European Super Cup, two Club World Cups, and two Champions Leagues!
With the amount of silverware he lifted and at which level it's understandable that he doesn't have the motivation required to push on.
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