Moreno Martins wants to return: the story of important players who returned to football after retirement

Soccer usually gives revenge Although it is very difficult for this to happen once the booties are hanged. After the retirement, almost all those who stop playing seek to participate from different roles, either with functions as a leader, part of the technical bodies or coaches.

Recently, a lot of relevance was taken in Bolivia after the repechage classification for the 2026 World Cup that will be played in the United States, Mexico and Canada. Given this historical panorama, a reference as Marcelo Martins Moreno You plan to return to the activity after having retired with the intention of being part of the team and getting a quota in the tournament that your selection Do not dispute since the 1994 edition.

They hung the ankle boots, but they couldn’t say goodbye: the players who returned from the retirement

Martins Moreno is not just one more figure in Bolivian football, since With 31 goals in 108 participations he managed to become a reference for his entire country. All these, between South American qualifiers and America Cups.

The striker, with steps through Europe and Brazil, He hung the ankle boots on December 14, 2023, but now, with the repechage just around the corner, he wants to contribute his own. This is not the only case, since several players decided to return from retirement to contribute something to their clubs or demonstrate that they were still in force.

Wojciech Szczesny

The most recent case is that of Barcelona’s goalkeeper. After retiring in August 2024 in his passage through Juventusit seemed that it was a definitive but striking decision for his age. In Spain, Barcelona lost Marc-André Ter Stegen due to injury and could only sign a free player.

After some meetings, The Polish surprised and agreed to become the owner of the Culé archwith a contract Until the end of June 2027. There it was a wall and helped the team conquer the league.

Matías Almeyda

Pelado He retired in Quilmes in 2005but after two years and still well from the physical, Norway Lyn joined in 2007where he did not prosper.

After another time away from the courts, in 2009 he joined Fénix in the rise of Argentina and after good yields, He offered to return to River in 2011I didn’t have a good time. There, it was part of the squad that descended and retired to be the coach who returned the millionaire to the first division of Argentine football.

Almeyda

Almeyda returned to River, but had several retreats before putting an end to her career after the descent of the millionaire.

Paul Scholes

The Colorado, a Manchester United symbol and England, I had ended the story with the club of his loves After several seasons at a very high level, where he managed to get all possible titles. This was in 2011but only A year laterSir Alex Ferguson begged him to reconsider his decision.

Finally, Scholes He agreed to play that season at the urgencies of his historic coach And together they won the Premier League again to give an even more spectacular closure to his career, which was final at that time.

Colo

Juan Román Riquelme

The Boca idol did not have what would be called a professional retreat. After losing the final with the Corinthians in 2012 in Brazil, he claimed that he “felt empty” and decided to step aside still with a contract. Seven months later and with Carlos Bianchi returning to the club for the third time, made the decision to return.

He complied with Boca until 2014 and then took his revenge in Argentinos Juniors, which he helped to ascend to First Division again and thus definitively retire from football as a player.

Riquelme

Riquelme spent seven months without playing or training, but returned to the club to put on the orders of Carlos Bianchi.