Spurs cult hero retires aged 33 due to chronic pain and daily pills battle

Updated: 24 Nov, 2025 • 0 • min read

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Spurs cult hero retires aged 33 due to chronic pain and daily pills battle

Former Sevilla and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Erik Lamela has announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 33, citing persistent hip problems that forced him to rely on painkillers for the past five years.

In a heartfelt open letter shared on social media, the Argentine revealed the physical toll his career had taken:

'I Took Pills Before Every Match'

For those who don't know, I have hip problems. They began 11 years ago and in 2017, I had surgery on both, with the left one being the most affected.

It was a difficult year - I was afraid it could be the end of my career at just 25.

After the operations, they gave me four more years of football, but told me it would get worse over time, and that's what I'm experiencing now.

Nothing was easy. Training and playing with pain became normal in my daily life.

For the past five years I've taken pills before every game, starting with a small dose, and in recent times the maximum dose two days before the match just to be able to play.

Today, I decide to put an end to it all. Today, this effort ends.

From River Plate to Europe's Top Leagues

Lamela came through River Plate's academy before moving to AS Roma in 2011.

A year later, he joined Tottenham, where he spent eight seasons in the Premier League, making over 250 appearances and becoming a cult favourite thanks to his flair, creativity, and unforgettable rabona goals.

He signed for Sevilla in 2021, winning the Europa League in 2023, and most recently played under Matías Almeyda at AEK Athens, where he enjoyed a strong season before deciding to hang up his boots.

A Career Remembered

Across nearly two decades, Lamela made over 400 senior appearances and represented Argentina 25 times, scoring three international goals.

In his farewell, he thanked the clubs that shaped his career.