Former defender of the Russian national team Fernandes explained the reason for his retirement

Former defender of the Russian national team, Brazilian football player Mario Fernandez explained why he decided to retire from professional football. As the athlete told the Sports Express newspaper on September 20, the cause was a serious injury, after which he required medical intervention.

"I had a very serious injury, I had surgery. I was without a team for a long time and did not play at a professional level. Now my body no longer matches the rhythm of professional football," the newspaper quoted him as saying.

Fernandez added that after weighing the pros and cons, he decided to end his career.

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Fernandez announced the end of his professional career on September 19. The 35-year-old defender's last club was Zenit, which he left in the summer of 2024. Previously, Fernandez also played for CSKA, Brazilian clubs Internacional and Gremio. In 2016, the athlete received Russian citizenship, and a year later he made his debut in the national team. He played 33 matches for her and scored five goals.

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