Former Manchester United skipper Antonio Valencia has retired from active football. The 35-years-old Ecuadorian skipper spent 10 years at Old Trafford, and he won two Premier League titles, an FA Cup and the Europa League with Manchester United.
He joined Manchester United from Wigan Athletic in 2009 for £16m the club’s first signing after the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid for £80m. Antonio Valencia left Manchester United in 2019 to join Ecuador’s L.D.U. Quito.
He took to his Twitter handle and wrote: “I did not think this moment would come so soon, but my body has asked me to retire from football.” Antonio also played for Mexican side Queretaro, whose season ended earlier this month. He won two Carabao Cups and six Community Shields at Old Trafford, and played a total of 339 games for United, scoring 25 goals.
He played 99 times for Ecuador, and he scored 11 goals and represented his country at the World Cup in 2006 and 2014, and four Copa America tournaments.