Former FC Barcelona forward Cristian Tello announces retirement at age 35

Dubai: FC Barcelona has been home to many players. While some become legends, other become a fan favorite. Cristian Tello remains a name many fans in Catalonia remember profoundly.

The forward played under Pep Guardiola's FC Barcelona and continued at the club when new manager Tito Villanova showed up. He maintained a good on-field chemistry with Lionel Messi, making several assists to the Argentine.

Nevertheless, Tello has now announced his retirement from professional football. The 35-year-old shared a heartfelt statement on his X profile, thanking all the teams he played for. "Today is one of those difficult days of my life. The time has come to say goodbye to professional football," he said.

The video also highlighted Tello's goals and achievements with different clubs before thanking all his former teams, friends and family for their support. Following his tenure with Barcelona, the forward had loan spells with FC Porto and Fiorentina before completing a move to Real Betis.

Tello even played for MLS side Los Angeles FC and later played for Saudi clubs Al-Fateh and Al-Orobah. His last team was UAE Second Division League's FC Palm City. He ended by saying, "Thank you all. It's been a pleasure alongside you."

The former Barcelona forward has scored 91 goals in 512 matches throughout his career. By announcing his retirement, Tello now looks at the new chapter of his career.