A former Premier League star has issued a heartbreaking statement from a hospital bed after undergoing surgery at just 34.
These days, world-class footballers play at a high level for much longer than previous generations, with Lionel Messi, 38, and Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, being two notable examples of top-level players who continue to defy logic with exceptional performances, despite no doubt being in the twilight of their respective careers.
Many players in their mid-thirties continue to perform in the Premier League, with Liverpool centre-back Virgil van Dijk arguably still being the best in the league as he approaches his 35th birthday.
However, not all players are so lucky, with injuries still part and parcel of a footballer’s life, and some are forced to end their careers due to the impact the sport has had on their bodies.
An example of this is former Spurs winger Erik Lamela, who retired at the age of 33 in 2025 due to a chronic hip problem.
At the time, the Argentinian, who represented River Plate, Roma, Spurs, Sevilla and AEK Athens, as well as his country 25 times, explained the reasons for his premature retirement in a statement, revealing that his hip issues started in 2017.
Part of the statement read: “After the operations went well, they gave me four more years of my career. They told me I’d get worse over time, and that’s what I’m experiencing now. With a lot of sacrifice, spending hours with the physiotherapists, strengthening myself in the gym, and with an endless series of injections and treatments, I’ve managed to play more than twice as much.
“For five years, I’ve been taking pills for every match to be able to play in the best possible condition, starting with the lowest dose and recently taking the maximum two days before the match to be ready.
“Now I have decided to put an end to all this; now all this effort ends.”
Lamela wrote: “A bit sore, but with my new hip, let’s hope this prosthesis is the start of a pain-free life.
“A greeting to everyone, thanks to those who always write!
Lamela made 487 professional appearances, winning the Europa League with Sevilla in 2023
Spurs supporters are fuming after seeing what they believe was the wrong decision during West Ham’s 2-1 win over Everton, which preserved the Hammers’ two-point buffer over Tottenham.
On Saturday (April 25), both West Ham and Spurs won their respective Premier League matches, meaning Roberto De Zerbi’s side remain in the relegation zone with four matches remaining.
Just when Spurs’ trip to Wolverhampton Wanderers looked to be heading for a dull 0-0 draw, Joao Palhinha’s strike secured the side’s first Premier League win of 2026.
Meanwhile, Callum Wilson’s 93rd-minute strike saw Nuno Espirito Santo’s side beat Everton 2-1 in a game which looked to be heading for a draw after Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s equaliser two minutes from time. Tomas Soucek had put the Hammers 1-0 up earlier in the first half.
And despite those heading back to north London this evening likely feeling a lot better after seeing Spurs win, several fans believe a decision in West Ham’s game could cost Tottenham their Premier League status.
With West Ham leading 1-0 in the 84th minute, Everton forward Thierno Barry attempted to shield the ball from Mateus Fernandes in the penalty area.
About the Author
