EN
ESCavenaghi put an end to his successful career The top scorer chose River Plate to announce his retirement from professional football.
Fernando Cavenaghi announced his retirement from football. A career that was replete with goals and success and that gave him the opportunity to play in different countries, besides defending the colours of the Argentinean National Team. His last phase in River, his beloved club, had a perfect end: as captain, he raised the Copa Libertadores in 2015 in a packed Monumental Stadium.
This is the scorer’s goodbye letter:
Today is a special day for me. Through this letter and a subsequent video, I proudly announce the end of my sports career. More than feeling sad, I want to take this opportunity to thank. There are so many people I should thank to that a day wouldn’t be enough to name all of them. I am really happy and proud of having achieved this childhood dream that kept me on tenterhooks during all my infancy. Not even with the best of dreams I would have imagined living so many exciting and special moments in my life. I thank God the opportunity He gave me to achieve this and, for the most part, to enjoy it.
As everything in life, it wasn’t easy. I went through different stages, beginning with my childhood moving to that huge city when I was 12 years old, but looking for that dream that no obstacle could take away from me. I want to thank my family for their support when I made the hard decision of leaving home being so young, but they could understand that I was going after a dream, the most beautiful in my life.
Thanks to all my formative influences in life as well as in sports. From kindergarten to secondary school, every professor, every coach, every mate was very important in life learning, since one can always learn enriching things from every experience.
What could I say about you, my dear Club. How many things lived. Since my 12 years walking your corridors and every corner. Thanks for giving me the opportunity of growing and being educated within your walls. Thank you for making me live lasting memories and emotions. I will never forget, among the many things I lived, this last farewell match raising the most dreamed Cup under that heavy rain. Not even the best story could have had such an amazing ending as mine. Within your walls I laughed, dreamed, cried, lived and enjoyed. How proud I am of having you tattooed on my skin.
Thanks to my wife and children for their unconditional support. Thanks to my parents, my spoiling grandparents, my siblings, my aunts and uncles, my cousins, to my agent and so many friends that were fundamental to push me further and give me strength, especially in those hard moments I had to go through and in which I thought everything was lost.
Thanks to every president of the Club and authorities, workers of the Club, from the boarding house to the school, kit managers, hairdressers, launderers, cooks, security guards... They were all essential to make us feel at home from the first moment, even if we were far from our loved ones, we never lacked anything. Thanks eternally. I could talk and thank for hours and hours, but it would be endless.
Thanks to journalists, referees and to each and every Argentinean football fan for their respect. The passion we live in our country does not exist anywhere else in the world.
Thanks to the Argentinean National Team. What a pride to wear those colors.
A special mention to thank every club that in the different stages of my career made me play for their colors. Thanks for trusting me. I am very proud of the amazing clubs I had the opportunity to play in and live unique sport and life experiences. I repeat: I am grateful to life for everything I lived and for the sports career I played. Maybe more than I had dreamed of.
Thanks, thanks and more thanks to all the “millonario” fans. I am very proud of being part of The Greatest. You truly were unconditional even in the worst moments. How great it is to be able to retire and see the Club as it is today. Doubtlessly, a before and an after the barbarity. We are back where we had to be and forever!
Now, yes, I finally (I hope I haven’t bored you) leave a statistical summary of my sports career so that those who didn’t have the possibility to follow it in its entirety, can see it and enjoy it with me.
RIVER PLATE
Clausura 2002 Champion (top scorer of the tournament, 15 goals).
Clausura 2003 Champion (River’s top scorer).
Clausura 2004 Champion (River’s top scorer).
Nacional B Tournament and with pride (River’s top scorer, 19 goals).
Final Tournament 2014 Champion (River’s top scorer).
Copa Campeonato 2014.
Copa Sudamericana 2014.
Recopa Sudamericana 2015.
Copa Libertadores 2015.
GIRONDINS DE BORDEAUX
Coupe de Ligue 2007.
Trophee des Champions 2008.
Ligue 1 2009 (top scorer of the team).
Coupe de Ligue 2009.
Trophee des Champions 2009.
INTERNACIONAL DE PORTO ALEGRE
Gaúcho 2012 Champion.
APPOEL NICOSIA
2015/2016 Champion (top scorer of the tournament, 19 goals).
ARGENTINEAN NATIONAL TEAM
U-20 South American Champion (top scorer, 8 goals).
U-20 World Cup Top Scorer (4 goals).
INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
Best Latin American player 2014, Fox Sports awards.
Best foreign player 2008, Ligue 1. France Football Awards.
Outstanding sports personality of the City of Buenos Aires 2014.
Among the ten top scorers in River’s history, with 112 goals.
CLUBS
River Plate
Spartak Moscow
Girondins Bordeaux
Mallorca
Internacional de Porto Alegre
Villarreal
Pachuca
Apoel
Infinite thanks.
Fernando Ezequiel Cavenaghi.
- Tags
- First Team
