Former Italy international Federico Balzaretti has confirmed that a groin hernia problem over the past two years has forced him to retire at the age of 33.
The Roma full-back called a news conference on Wednesday morning, where he explained that he was unable to continue his playing career.
"It's a very difficult decision to take," he told reporters. "But I cannot carry on playing the way I would like, at 100 percent. I'm stopping playing. Unfortunately, the hernia is forcing me to retire."
Balzaretti first felt pain in his groin in November 2013. An operation in the United States was expected to heal the problem, but upon his return, it was discovered that the damage was far more serious than first thought.
#Balzaretti: "I am retiring from football. Unfortunately the injury I've had is forcing me to hang up my boots."
- AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) August 12, 2015
Due to serious cartilage damage, he was told he would never be able to play football again. "I refused to believe that -- it hurts too much," he told Chi magazine a year ago, after revealing the true extent of his injury problems.
"I'm working hard to be able to play again, but more than anything I want to be able to run in future, to be able to hug my children at the park and play with them. I cannot bear to think that might never happen."
The former Juventus defender worked hard on a recovery and succeeded, playing the full 90 minutes of Roma's final Serie A game of last season.
"That was the biggest satisfaction I could have had, to bring my children to the [Stadio] Olimipico and play the full 90 minutes," he said on Wednesday. "It's an emotion which will remain with me forever.
"I've had plenty of satisfaction with a lot of suffering. I've been lucky, despite the suffering, to be able to sit on the bench and to play that game."
Balzaretti's playing contract has been transformed into a contract as a member of the club's staff. From now on, he will take care of the players who are currently out on loan at other clubs.
"We've offered him the opportunity to continue working here for us and to carry on contributing his experience and values to our club," said Roma's general manager Mauro Baldissoni. "We're sorry because it's a sad moment, but it's just a new step.
"He gave a lot of strength to his teammates and those who needed some motivating and reassuring. Just having him on the bench these past two and a half months, in a difficult time for the team, was crucial and it did not escape our attention."
That is a solution which Balzaretti is delighted to have been offered.
"I'm incredibly motivated and extremely serene thanks to my family," he said. "I can't wait to start this new adventure. I love the path I am about to take, because I love football.
"It's a beautiful role to have been offered, also because for the young lads [out on loan] it's a delicate and difficult moment, so I will try to be a person they can come to at all times."
#Balzaretti retires today from professional football. Good luck for the future, Federico! pic.twitter.com/nBg6LWODne
- JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) August 12, 2015
Juventus have also paid tribute to their former player with a Tweet. Born in Turin, Balzaretti was part of the Juve side which gained promotion back to Serie A in 2007. He then joined Fiorentina and Palermo before arriving in Rome in 2012, while he was capped 16 times by Italy.