Zinho Vanheusden raises white flag: former Inter Milan and Genoa man says stop at just 26 years old
A promising career broken by numerous injuries: the latest of which led to Zinho Vanheusden’s decision to end his career as a professional footballer at just 26 years old. In fact, the Belgian, who played in Inter’s youth ranks and collected 14 Serie A appearances with the Genoa shirt in 2021-2022, announced his retirement on Friday, following yet another serious injury, the third cruciate ligament rupture in eight years.
“Today I am making a decision I never thought I would have to make at this age – Vanheusden wrote on Instagram -. After 22 years of soccer, from when I was four years old until today, my life as a professional soccer player stops here. Soccer has made me the person I am today. It has given me a life that as a child I would not have even dared to dream of. From being in the stands of Sclessin for years with my father cheering for my favorite club to playing 100 games in that jersey myself, scoring for the fans and even having the honor of being captain. And not only that… I also had the chance to debut with the national team and play at a high level. All things that seemed unreal when I started out”.
“Next to the good things, however, there’s all the toughness of the last few years– he added. It’s been difficult years, much more than I ever let on. Injuries, operations, injections, medications… I always gave everything to come back, but each time it became more difficult. I was constantly trying to get back to my level, played through pain too often, and lived each practice or game in uncertainty of how my body would react the next day. I kept struggling to be the player I wanted to be, but each time came a new battle to fight”.
“In my heart I will always want to remain a soccer player, but my body has long been telling me that enough is enough. And that is why, out of respect for myself, my health and my responsibility as a father, I am making this decision. As unreal as it may seem to write it. But I want to be able to walk without pain, play with my son, and enjoy life with my family… I don…t know what it will be like to wake up without soccer, but now I”concluded Vanheusden.
