Lucas Leiva has retired from professional football due to a heart condition at the age of 36.
The former Liverpool midfielder made the announcement in a tearful press conference on Friday, where he said the decision came because 'health comes first'.
It comes after Leiva was given medical advice to hang up his boots following a follow-up tests on a problem initially noticed during pre-season with his boyhood club Gremio in December.
'It's been a difficult period,' he told when addressing the media on Friday, 'I think this is the first time I've cried over this case,' Lucas said.