The former forward of Velez Sarsfield and Mouth Juniors Mauro Zarate announced his retirement at the age of 37 soccer professional through his social networks, where he expressed his emotion and gratitude for the two decades he has lived in football.
“The most beautiful journey of my life is coming to an end. How difficult it is for me to write these lines, with my heart in my hand and having the memories so vivid”wrote the now former player.
His last team was Danubio of Uruguay in 2023, and since then he has stayed away from professional activity, although he left open the possibility of continuing to be linked to football from another role: “I say goodbye as a player, but I will never say goodbye to football.”
Zárate, a member of a family deeply involved in sports, debuted in Vélez in 2004, where he shared a team with his brother Rolando. From a young age he stood out for his ability, which led him to be part of the Argentine youth teams.
In 2007, he became Under 20 world champion under the technical direction of Hugo Tocalli. That same year, Vélez transferred him to Al-Sadd of Qatar for $16 million, marking the beginning of an international stage that included stints in leagues in England, Italy and the United Arab Emirates.
His performance as a scorer was especially reflected in Lazio, where he played four seasons and won the Italian Cup and the Italian Super Cup.
In 2018, Zárate returned to Vélez, but his time was not without controversy. Although he declared that he would only play for the Liniers club in Argentina, he accepted an offer from Boca Juniors a few months later, a decision that generated discomfort among Velez fans.
During his time at Boca, he was part of the squad that played in the 2018 Copa Libertadores final against River Plate, although he did not play in that match. In addition, he won three national titles with the club.
After three seasons, he left for Brazilian football and later had experiences in Platense, Cosenza in Italy and finally Danubio. Throughout his career, Zárate won eight titles, including two with Vélez, two with Lazio and three with Boca, in addition to the Under 20 World Cup with Argentina.
Source: Ambito
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