Frank Lampard avslutar karriären: "Det är rätt tid"

Frank Lampard har en otrolig karriär bakom sig. Det började i West Ham, merparten av karriären spenderades sedan i Chelsea. På senare år har mittfältaren först spelat i Manchester City och sedan i New York City FC. Nu har Lampard bestämt sig för att spelarkarriären är över.

- Efter 21 otroliga år har jag beslutet mig för att nu är rätt tid att avsluta min karriär som en professionell fotbollsspelare. Samtidigt som jag har fått en rad intressanta erbjudanden att fortsätta spela hemma och utomlands så vid 38 känner jag att det är dags att inleda nästa kapitel på mitt liv, skriver Lampard på Instagram.

Mellan 2001 och 2014 spelade Frank Lampard för Chelsea. Det blev över 400 Premier League-matcher och nästan 150 ligamål för mittfältaren under hans tid i London-klubben. 38-åringen riktar ett extra stort tack till "The Blues".

- Självklart tillhör den största delen av mitt hjärta Chelsea, en klubb som har gett mig så många fantastiska minnen. Jag kommer aldrig att glömma möjligheten de gav mig och framgången som vi lyckades åstadkomma tillsammans, skriver Lampard.

- Chelsea-fansen gav mig och mina lagkamratern sånt otroligt stöd. Deras passion och hunger drev mig personligen att ge mitt bästa år efter år. Jag hade inte kunnat göra det utan dem.

Lampard kommer framöver att gå tränarkurser hos FA.

After 21 incredible years, I have decided that now is the right time to finish my career as a professional footballer. Whilst I have received a number of exciting offers to continue playing at home and abroad, at 38 I feel now is the time to begin the next chapter in my life. I’m immensely proud of the trophies I’ve won, of representing my country over 100 times and of scoring more than 300 career goals. I have many people to thank. I thank my parents for instilling in me the values of hard work, dedication and professionalism, values which I have carried with me in everything that I do. I am forever grateful for the support of my family, my wife Christine and my two daughters Luna and Isla. What you have given me off the pitch has always been my strength on it. I love you all very much. Also, my friends and my own team that have always been there for me. I would like to thank the amazing team-mates, coaches, managers and backroom staff that I was privileged to work with. I’d also like to pay tribute to the clubs that I have represented. Firstly, West Ham United who gave me my debut in 1996. Thanks to the people there that believed in me at that young age. More recently Manchester City and NYCFC. I greatly enjoyed my last playing years at these two clubs and really appreciate the support I received from City Football Group and both clubs’ fans. Of course, the largest part of my heart belongs to Chelsea, a club which has given me so many great memories. I will never forget the opportunity they gave me and the success that we managed to achieve together. It is impossible to give thanks individually to all the people that helped and supported me in my 13 years playing there. All I can say is from the day I signed until now and going forward, I'm eternally grateful for everything and to everyone. Chelsea fans gave myself and my teammates such incredible support. Their passion and hunger drove me on personally to give my best year after year. I couldn't have done it without them. Looking forward, I'm grateful to the FA for the opportunity to study for my coaching qualifications and I look forward to pursuing the off-field opportunities that this decision opens.

Annons

En video publicerad av Frank Lampard (@franklampard) Feb 2, 2017 kl. 2:56 PST