Esteban Paredes leaves professional football. As reported by El Deportivo, the Tank says goodbye at the age of 41 after signing more than 20 years of career, since he debuted in Santiago Morning. In Colo Colo, the club of his loves, he managed to become a legend. He retires with 221 goals scored, surpassing the mark of the historical Francisco Valdés (215).
And the confirmation that his career as a footballer ended in the duel played by Coquimbo Unido, his current institution, against Unión Española, It came through an emotional letter that the top gunner in the First Division wrote to his current teammates.
“Today it’s time to say goodbye to you and, as always, I do so by thanking you. From day one they made me feel at home. Every shout of encouragement, every word of support, helped me to leave everything in this year and a half that I was in the beloved Coquimbo United”, can be read in the letter that is published on the social networks of the white idol.
Then without saying remember his sad departure from Colo Colo (Aníbal Mosa fired him by phone in February of last year) and maintains that “I re-enchanted myself with what I love the most, which is playing soccer. I gave myself completely for a shirt that means a lot: passion, grit, effort and, above all, sporting excellence”.
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FOTO: KARIN POZOAGEN CIAUNO
Then, the Tank revealed that “I have no doubt that my heart is already a bit ‘pirate’, for its people, for each official who selflessly works hard to make this beautiful institution great” and confessed: “I was happy in Coquimbo, I was happy with my teammates, leading the team to First Division again, it is a milestone that I will not forget”.
Finally, the man born in Cerro Navia reflected: “If things got better or worse on the field, it is part of this beautiful activity. But this shirt, the ‘Barbón’ one, I sweated it with a lot of passion. We will surely meet again.” And he concluded his words with a “goodbye and thanks for everything”.
What will he do in the future? It’s been months since Paredes take classes in administration of sports institutions in Argentine institutions, In addition, he has been studying for several months to be a coach at Inaf and in some European institutions, so he will not be completely away from the courts.