Erik Lamela, who was forced to end his career last year due to a hip problem, has been released from hospital after undergoing surgery. The Argentine has struggled with pain for years and hopes the latest procedure will mark the start of a new period of freedom from pain.
The 34-year-old shared photos from the hospital on social media, including an X-ray, and posted a short video after the surgery.
“I have a little pain, but with the new pelvis I hope this prosthesis will be the start of a pain-free life. Hello everyone, thank you to those who always write to me!”, said Lamela.
Long-term struggle with pain
Lamela, who retired at the age of 33, spoke in an interview with TyC Sports last year about the problems that forced him to end his career.
“I had to withdraw due to a physical problem that had been bothering me for a very long time.”
“I wanted to finish my career in the best possible way and enjoy it as much as possible despite that problem, which was quite difficult. The problem became even more serious because I was suffering from worn-out cartilage and advanced osteoarthritis.”
“In recent years the condition has become much more serious, my hips have been affected more and more and I could no longer train like before. Because of this, I had to change my training method. If I had trained during the week, I would not have been able to play the game because my hips would not be able to withstand such efforts,” he concluded.
From River Plate to Europe
Lamela was considered a major talent early in his career at River Plate, after which he moved to Roma and then signed for Tottenham for €30 million. In his eight seasons at Spurs, he became a fan favourite, known for his attractive style of play and occasional spectacular goals, including the famous “rabona”.
After eight seasons in London, he played for Sevilla and ended his career last year with Greek club AEK Athens. After retiring as a player, he returned to Sevilla, where he became part of the coaching staff.
