“I wanted to make public my decision to leave Football at the end of this season, to stop being a professional player after 19 years,” Guardado said from the stadium of León, the club he currently plays for, during ‘a live on his official Instagram account.
He also expressed his gratitude to “Jesus Martínez for giving me the opportunity to come to this institution and retire in Mexico after spending practically my entire career abroad.”
“I leave proud to have been part of this institution, and I am happy that in this last month I have been able to show a little of what Andrés Guardado looks like on the pitch,” reaffirmed the player, who remembers having fulfilled his childhood dream of becoming a professional footballer.
In this regard, he reiterated that León still has a “slight hope” of qualifying for the playoffs of the Apertura 2024 tournament; However, if they fail to do so, the match against Monterrey, scheduled for Sunday, November 10, will be his last match as a professional.
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“I want to say that we still have a slight hope of making the playoffs; we hope things go our way, but if not, Sunday will be my last match as a professional. I leave grateful, very proud of everything that I was able to achieve, having achieved my dream and even having surpassed it, everything one dreams of as a child,” he underlined.
He also thanked his parents “for doing so much to help me realize my dream of being a footballer” and his siblings for their support and inspiration.
Additionally, in 2023, after 16 years representing the Mexican national team, Andrés Guardado announced his retirement from the Habs.
“I mentioned it some time ago but I didn’t take the time to thank everything I experienced during these 16 years in the National Team…” Guardado wrote on social networks.
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“It is impossible to express in words how grateful and privileged I feel! A big thank you to everyone who accompanied me and with whom I had the chance to share moments during this beautiful dream,” a- he commented.
He underlined, “to all my teammates, the different technical staff, all the staff members who are an integral part of daily life, and of course to all the loyal supporters who have accompanied me all these years. Now I am one of you! Thank you!”
Andrés Guardado wore the tricolor jersey for 16 years, participating in nearly 180 international matches. “El Principito” played in five World Cups, as did “Tota” Carbajal, Rafa Márquez, Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
His debut for the national team took place on December 14, 2005, although it took a year and three months to score his first goal in the tricolor jersey, in a match against Venezuela.
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At just 19 years old, he was called up by Ricardo Lavolpe to participate in the 2006 World Cup in Germany, where he also started in the round of 16 match against Argentina.
His last World Cup match came against Argentina at Qatar 2022.
