Vágner Love said goodbye to football this Saturday (28). The player was on the field in Retrô’s 3-1 victory over Ceará, at Aflitos, in Recife, in a match valid for the second round of the Copa do Nordeste.
The Artilheiro do Amor said goodbye with a flourish, scoring Fênix de Camaragibe’s third goal in the game. Fernandinho and Radsley also scored for the home team, and Matheusinho scored for Vozão.
With the triumph, Retrô reached six points and leads Group D, while Ceará remains with just one goal scored and occupies third place in Group C.
Retrô’s next appointment it will be for the Brazilian Series D. The team returns to the field next Saturday (4), at 5pm (Brasília time), to face Treze, at Estádio Amigão. Ceará will host Ponte Preta next
Farewell on social media
Love posted a text on social media thanking the clubs he played for and the fans who embraced him during his career. In the video, excerpts from his performances for CSKA Moscow, Flamengo, Palmeiras, Corinthians, Sport, among others.
“I want to thank, firstly, God and my family, who have always been by my side at all times, and all the clubs that have been part of my history. To my teammates, coaches, staff and, above all, to the fans: you were a fundamental part of this journey. Every shout for a goal, every support in victories and even in difficult moments made it all worth it”, says the note.
“I leave the field with a heart full of gratitude and a sense of duty accomplished. Football gave me everything, and I tried to repay it with love, dedication and many goals”, he adds.
Vagner Love has 21 titles in his career, including two Copa América titles with the Brazilian team, a Europa League, a Brasileirão and a Series B, as well as four regional titles (Paulista, Pernambucano, Goiano and Catarinense), six Cups and five Russian Super Cups and four Russian League titles.
The game
Retrô was better at the beginning of the match and managed to take the lead after 35 minutes of the first half. From a free kick by Radsley, Fernandinho appeared to head the ball into the right corner and find the net. After the break, Vozão tied in the first few minutes. Melk won the ball fight and crossed for Matheusinho, who just completed the ball for the goal.
Retrô, however, regained the lead in the 21st minute, with a beautiful goal from Radsley, who received it from David Junio and finished powerfully from outside the area. The most memorable moment occurred in the 49th minute, when Vagner Love scored the last goal of his career. After Luiz Henrique’s play on the left and a low cross, the number 9 finished with precision, ending his career in football with 423 goals.
