ISTANBUL

Argentine footballer Gonzalo Higuain confirmed Monday that he would retire from playing football at the end of this season. 

"After 17 years, it's now time to say goodbye. The most important mission for me has always been to never give up," Higuain said during a press conference.

"I can now retire as I always dreamed, scoring goals and having fun playing the game," he added.

Starting his football career with River Plate, Higuain played for some European powerhouses such as Chelsea, Real Madrid, AC Milan, Juventus, and Napoli.

Higuain, who has been with Major League Soccer (MLS) club Inter Miami since 2020, competed in 707 official matches and scored 333 goals during his 17-year football career.

The Argentina striker helped Chelsea with the Europa League title in 2019.

Inter Miami are at the seventh spot with 45 points after 32 matches in the Eastern Conference as they look to book a ticket for the MLS playoffs.

Miami club will play against Orlando City and Montreal, respectively.