Köln legend Jonas Hector wasn’t the only one who couldn’t keep his eyes dry when he announced the end of his career. It turned out to be an emotional event in the dressing room of 1. FC Köln.
Köln defender announces end of career
Hector (32) is a regular at Köln and has been playing in the first team of the German club for more than ten years, but thinks it’s time to stop. He announced the news in a packed dressing room. “Jonas, the floor is yours,” said trainer Steffen Baumgart.
“I have already discussed this with the coach: these are my last five weeks. After that I will retire from professional football,” Hector said.
Hector received a thunderous applause, but there was also room for emotion, because not everyone was stable after the message from the experienced defender. Hector’s contract will run for another month and a half, until June 30. It is not yet known what he will do next.
Guardiola: “Messi will do the impossible to return to Barcelona”
Speaking of emotional moments, Pep Guardiola thinks Lionel Messi is fervently hoping for a return to Barcelona. The Argentinian is firmly linked to Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal, but Guardiola suspects Messi has other plans.
It’s no secret that Barcelona are hoping for the return of Messi, who left the club for Paris Saint-Germain in 2021. It is almost certain that he will leave there after this season. “He will do the impossible to return to Barcelona,” Guardiola told ESPN of Messi. “I am a member of Barcelona, still have my seats there and hope that one day we can give him the respect he deserves.”
He continued, “He’s the best player of all time. Barcelona has been booming in the last decades and it would not have been possible without Messi. I’m not just talking about numbers, but also about the game, the beauty, aesthetics, effectiveness, everything. When someone is that big, he deserves a good goodbye.”
“I hope the day comes when I can applaud Leo. And I also know that Laporta will try to show him and his family the love, gratitude and respect he has shown for the club,” he concluded.
