Former Italy striker Luca Toni has announced his decision to end his fabulous football career after more than two decades of performances on the pitch. Toni has won the World Cup in 2006 with the Italy national team and has scored 156 goals in the Serie A for eight different clubs. His final match for the current club, Verona, will be against champions Juventus on Sunday. Last season Toni became the oldest player to win the Serie A top scorer award as he bagged 22 goals at the age of 38.
This season wasn't as good though, Toni scored just five league goals in 15 appearances and Verona were unable to escape relegation. "After so many years of playing football, 22 in the professional ranks, I think the time has arrived for me to say goodbye," Toni said during a news conference. "It was a difficult decision for me to make but I think it's the right decision to stop. I will feel a mix of joy and sadness, but I think it's right for me to retire at home with Verona on Sunday against Juve. We've had a terrible year and for me, mentally, I think I've come to the end."
Luca Toni has also played outside of Italy for German giants Bayern Munich, where he became the Bundesliga top scorer in the 2007-2008 season with 24 goals scored in 31 appearances. His best ever season was in 2005-2006 when he scored 31 goals in 38 matches for Serie A side Fiorentina, winning the European Golden Shoe award as a result. He was the first ever Italian player to win that award. He has scored 16 goals in 47 appearances for the Italian national team, because he made a rather late international debut at the age of 27.
sharpe
7 years ago
Maybe I didn't realize he's still playing but really didn't heard his name for a long time, almost forgot who he is. But anyway good goalscorer and nice player. I couldn't use a words like genius or legend for Toni but definitely he was an impressive goalscorer who I'm sure fans of the clubs which he represent during his...
Maybe I didn't realize he's still playing but really didn't heard his name for a long time, almost forgot who he is. But anyway good goalscorer and nice player. I couldn't use a words like genius or legend for Toni but definitely he was an impressive goalscorer who I'm sure fans of the clubs which he represent during his long career will remember longer than me.
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h34dhunt3r
7 years ago
Another legend is leaving us. Luca Toni, with his career peek around World Cup 2006 was true number 9 striker, with not many of them left at this moment. Probably Levandowski and Falcao are those kind of strikers that are with us at this moment. His touch and "goal instinct" will be missed on the pitch. Just a information...
Another legend is leaving us. Luca Toni, with his career peek around World Cup 2006 was true number 9 striker, with not many of them left at this moment. Probably Levandowski and Falcao are those kind of strikers that are with us at this moment. His touch and "goal instinct" will be missed on the pitch. Just a information that he scored for eight different clubs in Seria A says it all. Hopefully he will start manager career since I think that he has what it takes to be top class.
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