""After 22 years of soccer -- from my fourth year until now -- my life as a professional soccer player is coming to an end. "Football made me who I am today. It gave me a life I never dared to dream of as a child ... The last few years were tough. Much heavier than I ever seemed. Injuries, operations, injections, medication... I gave everything to go back, but it got harder every time.""
""I was constantly searching for my level, overplayed through pain too often and lived after every workout or game uncertain about how my body would react the next day. I kept fighting to be the player I wanted to be, but every time a new fight came. In my heart I will always wanna be a footballer, but my body has been saying enough for a while now. And that's why -- out of respect for myself, for my health and for my responsibility as a father -- I am making this decision.""
Zinho Vanheusden, a former Belgium international, has retired at 26 after persistent anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, including a third ACL setback. He began his senior career with Inter Milan but never made a senior appearance for the club, instead spending loan spells at Standard Liège, Genoa, AZ Alkmaar and K.V. Mechelen before finishing at Marbella FC in Spain. He progressed through seven years in Standard Liège's academy and joined Inter in 2015 as a highly rated prospect. Vanheusden made one appearance for Belgium in a 2020 friendly and managed seven appearances at Marbella before ending his career. He cited repeated injuries, operations and pain as reasons for prioritizing his health and responsibilities as a father.
Read at ESPN.com
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