Sport Today

> Zvonimir Boban Announces He's Retiring

> ZAGREB, Croatia - Zvonimir Boban, who captained Croatia to the semifinals in
> 1998 World Cup, has announced he is quitting soccer, according to the daily
> Sportske novosti on Saturday.

> "After 16 years of playing I will not sit on bench anymore. No money on
> earth could make me walk over my pride," said Boban, expressing anger that
> he had played only one of the last seven matches for his current club Celta
> Vigo.

> "I neither need, nor want to prove myself at the age of 33, and to just play
> sporadically as if I was at the beginning of my career," Boban said.

> Disputes with Celta coach Victor Fernandez were known to hasten his decision
> to retire.

> Boban started his career with the legendary coach Miroslav Blazevic in
> Dinamo Zagreb in 1985. In 1991 he went to Italy to play first for Bari and
> later for AC Milan, where he played until this summer. He was part of the AC
> Milan team that won the national championship four times and the Champions
> League in 1994.

> "I have nothing more to say in soccer," Boban commented. "My health is not
> as it used to be and I have constant problems with my knee. What I want now
> is to be at home with my family."

> > Hej! Hrvatska
> > 13.10.2001.

> > Zvonimir Boban Announces He's Retiring

> > ZAGREB, Croatia - Zvonimir Boban, who captained Croatia to the semifinals in
> > 1998 World Cup, has announced he is quitting soccer, according to the daily
> > Sportske novosti on Saturday.

> > "After 16 years of playing I will not sit on bench anymore. No money on
> > earth could make me walk over my pride," said Boban, expressing anger that
> > he had played only one of the last seven matches for his current club Celta
> > Vigo.

> > "I neither need, nor want to prove myself at the age of 33, and to just play
> > sporadically as if I was at the beginning of my career," Boban said.

> > Disputes with Celta coach Victor Fernandez were known to hasten his decision
> > to retire.

> > Boban started his career with the legendary coach Miroslav Blazevic in
> > Dinamo Zagreb in 1985. In 1991 he went to Italy to play first for Bari and
> > later for AC Milan, where he played until this summer. He was part of the AC
> > Milan team that won the national championship four times and the Champions
> > League in 1994.

> > "I have nothing more to say in soccer," Boban commented. "My health is not
> > as it used to be and I have constant problems with my knee. What I want now
> > is to be at home with my family."

> Good decision. I've always like him since he belted one of the Serb police who were
> attacking Croat fans.