Former Newcastle ace Davide Santon has been ‘forced’ to retire from football at the age of 31.
The Italian fullback spent four years at St James’ Park, appearing in 94 games and scoring just once. In 2015, Santon returned to his boyhood club Inter Milan, where he had won two Serie A titles and a Champions League before joining the Toons.
After three years at Inter, he then moved to AS Roma where his career was hampered by injuries, making just 54 applications for the club before leaving the club earlier this summer after his contract expired.
In a detailed interview with Italian media outlet TuttoMercatoWeb, he said (h/t Roma Press):
“I am forced to stop playing football. My body, due to the numerous injuries I suffered over the years, can no longer handle this sport. I don’t want to retire, but I have to.”
“Last year, after being excluded from the team, I constantly underwent medical tests that unfortunately showed that I cannot continue. I can still walk on both legs, but it’s not enough to play professional football. I would risk needing a prosthesis.
“The left knee just disappeared. It prevents me from doing many things. The right knee, which was operated on three times, removing cartilage, all the external meniscus, so as soon as I force it even a little bit, it swells up and can’t bend.”
“If I have to play in fear of hurting myself more, I don’t want to. I have played with that fear for many years. In recent years, playing football was no longer fun: it was pain and suffering.
Santon also stated that it was Mourinho with whom he enjoyed the greatest glory. He said: “It was under Mourinho that I experienced the period of greatest glory, but he was not one of the calmest managers I have ever had. I was young, there was a lot of pressure in the environment. When you have to win, it’s right to be like that.”
