Former Barcelona, Bayern, and Liverpool midfielder Thiago was interviewed recently and talked about his decision to retire.
Thiago said: "After fighting for so long to become a football player and then to become the kind of player I wanted to be, the hardest step was to accept that it was all coming to an end. It was not difficult because of not knowing what to do next, but because of circumstances beyond my control, I had to give up what I loved. It was difficult, but I had to make peace with myself, find that peace and be proud of the career I had."
"I am in It was a great experience to be part of the coaching staff of Barcelona in the summer of 2024, at a stage when the game was still fresh in my mind and my body was still feeling it, but I could no longer compete at the highest level. I know the kid inside me - the kid who made me play football - is gone. In order to help others, as an adult I must contribute with knowledge. I use it to provide a clear playing philosophy, philosophy and team code of conduct. ”
“I’m very proud of our 2024 period. . Most importantly, I'm proud of what the entire team accomplished last season and what they're doing now. I am delving into my coaching work and am keen to understand and learn other areas related to performance, for example, talking to physios or strength and conditioning coaches about their work. "
"If I can progress as a coach, it's because my talent may not be limited to being a football player, but also helping others. I really enjoy teaching, I want to help a lot, and Being able to channel my talents into making a real difference in the lives of other athletes. Football will always be in my life, just in a different form now. "
"I have achieved my lifelong dream of becoming a football player, but my other dream continues, I want to help people. My time at Liverpool encompassed everything I look for in a club and everything I have always loved, that feeling of fighting for every honour, dominating on the pitch. bit, while giving off the feel of a battle club where you have to fight for a goal every day. "
"It's not that we're particularly lacking, but you really have to work for it. At Liverpool I found that combination of being dominant and feeling it but also trying to make it happen. The intensity of English football brings it closer to the South American style of football and at Liverpool we had a fantastic period of adapting, learning and growing. "
"There I worked with Klopp, a man who radiates energy every day, and I was lucky to have a coach who could turn every possible situation to the team's advantage. We talk about good situations and not-so-good situations, and under Klopp there are no bad situations, only moments that need to be directed in a certain way to make it good for your team."
"He does this through energy, calmness, and even laughter in moments when the expectation is not funny. He succeeds. He instilled that flow of energy, that sense of direction, so everyone followed him. Apart from the intensity of the training sessions, the best thing I can pass on to my team from Klopp is the idea that even if you just want to focus on practicing a specific move, the game never stops, it always stays alive. "
"You can't practice shooting without a backup ball in case it rebounds, loses possession, or you need to transition, I learned that from Klopp It's high intensity that comes from running, passing and good positioning. "
"I can list a long list of coaches who have been beneficial to me throughout my career, Guardiola, Flick, Enrique, Ancelotti, Klopp, Heynckes. I especially felt the benefit towards the end of my playing career, and I don’t know if it was because Klopp saw my gray hair or if it was because we spent part of the time on the pitch talking, but it was Klopp who told me I was going to be a coach. "
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