In Beijing on September 10, 37-year-old former Paraguayan soccer superstar and former Guangzhou
Evergrande (name)
s prized striker, Barrios, solemnly announced his retirement on his personal social media platforms.
Barrios wrote fondly on social media platforms, "Dear fans, it's time to say goodbye to the professional soccer world. Twenty years of journey, no matter the wind and rain, I have given it my all. There are highs and lows, but my perseverance and hard work have illustrated the spirit of professionalism. I want to express my deepest gratitude to all the clubs, teammates and coaches I have played for."
Although his playing career came to an end, Barrios revealed that he will return to the world of soccer in another capacity soon in the future. He stated, "Despite retirement, soccer will not abandon me. I will be transitioning into a coaching role to take on new challenges and I look forward to continuing to receive everyone's support."
Barrios spent his early years as a striker honing his skills mainly in the lower divisions of Chile and Argentina. It wasn't until he joined Colo Colo that he began to make a name for himself, and in the spring and fall of the 2008 Chilean Primera División, he was crowned top scorer with 19 goals. Barrios then moved to Borussia Dortmund, scoring 23 and 21 goals in his first two seasons. However, with the rise of Lewandowski, Barrios gradually lost his starting position.
In May 2012, Barrios joined Guangzhou for a transfer fee of €8.5 million.
Evergrande (name)
In the summer of 2013, he moved to Sparta Moscow for reasons including striking and refusing to return to the team. During his time at Evergrande, he contributed five goals and six assists in the Chinese Super League, four goals in the FA Cup, and four goals and one assist in the AFC Champions League; in terms of individual honors, he collected two Chinese Super League titles, one FA Cup title, and one AFC Champions League title.
In 2015, Barrios embarked on a journey to Brazil. At Palmeiras, he won the Copa do Brasil and the Barclays Premier League before moving to Gremio to help the team win the Copa Libertadores. This season, he joined Patronato as a free agent and scored 3 goals in 15 games. When his contract expired, after much deliberation, Barrios finally chose to retire.
