Footballer Aleksandar Kolarov announces retirement from football at 36 after a successful 18-year career

 

 Former Manchester City full-back, Aleksandar Kolarov has announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 36.
 Kolarov, 36, had spent two years at Inter Milan after three years at Roma since leaving Manchester City in 2017. The Serbia international spent seven years at City, helping them to their first two Premier League titles, plus one FA Cup and two League Cup successes.
The footballer is retiring from playing to look to become a sporting director or a scout.
 In a statement, Kolarov said: "I always knew that sooner or later this moment will come. Although I am sorry that I am closing one chapter of my life, I am grateful that I managed to achieve what has always been my dream.

"I thank all the people who followed me in this first part of my career. First of all, to every teammate in the teams in which I played as well as in the football team of Serbia, my homeland, which I have always represented with great pride. I thank the clubs, presidents, managers, coaches and technical staff, doctors, economists, physiotherapists and all those who helped in my career, and worked hard from the background.
 "I am coming to the end of this phase in my life, feeling great satisfaction with what I have achieved. I hope that with my daily proving on and off the field, I have at least partially repaid this wonderful game and all those who supported me. Now I am already focused on my 'other' life in the world of football. I will soon start training as a sporting director and scout at the National Football Centre of the Football Federation of Italy in Kovercan."
Kolarov began his playing career in his native Serbia with Cukaricki and then OFK Beograd before moving to Lazio in 2007. Three years later, he joined Man City in the same window in which they signed David Silva, Yaya Toure and Mario Balotelli, ultimately helping the club win two Premier League titles, two League Cups and one FA Cup.
 The left-back was sold to Lazio's fierce rivals Roma in 2017, spending three years and scoring a respectable 19 goals back in the Italian capital. The final chapter of his career came with Inter, notably helping them to Serie A and Coppa Italia triumphs.
 Kolarov made 94 appearances for the Serbian national team and was part of their 2010 and 2018 World Cup squads.