The top scorer in the history of the Bolivian soccer team, Marcelo Martins Moreno, announced this Monday his retirement from La Verde and noted that his last games will be against Peru and Uruguay in the South American qualifying group for the 2026 World Cup .
“I have to make a decision with my family, with my friends and I think I have completed a cycle with the Bolivian soccer team, these two games will be the last games I can represent my country, my team,” express Martins Moreno, who won the Europa League in 2009 with Shakhtar Donetsk.
The Bolivian scorer made this announcement in a press conference in the eastern region of Santa Cruz and indicated that it was a difficult decision, but that he always “gives everything” for Green and that he will always be proud to “represent the best way” in the country.
“I’m going in the front door”
He added that he will leave “with a bang” and that he gave everything for the Bolivian team, so now it’s time to support the younger players.
Martins Moreno said that the coach, the Brazilian Antonio Carlos Zago, He already knew about her decision, and that at first she was surprised by his determination, but he understood and supported her.
The 36-year-old Bolivian gunner He mentioned that there is nothing more to ask for, because all these years in the national team he put his desire, his predisposition and all his efforts to try to get Bolivia back to a World Cup, but despite not achieving it, he does. won’t stop dreaming of going. as “leader or coach.”
The Bolivian emphasized his individual achievements “in a team that for everyone outside was not very competitive,” but he was full of “pride” of all the goals scored in Green.
His last games
Martins Moreno with the Bolivian team will play at the Hernando Siles stadium in La Paz on November 16 against Peru, the scorer’s last game in a Bolivian stadium, because on the 21st they will travel to face Uruguay.
Bolivia is at the bottom and has no points in the classification having had four consecutive defeats, first against Brazil by 5-1, then against world champion Argentina by 0-3, another defeat against Ecuador by 1-2 and lost 1-0 in his visit to Paraguay.
legendary records
Martins He played 106 games with the Bolivian national team, a new record with Greenframe more than 200 goals in his entire career in soccer and currently plays for Ecuadorian Independiente del Valle.
Martins In 2020, he became the Bolivian team’s all-time top scorerwhere he has 31 goals, is also the top scorer in the South American qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar with 10 goals, beating Brazilian Neymar and Uruguayan Luis Suárez by two and for three of the Argentines Lionel Messi and Lautaro Martinez.
The Bolivian forward has played for teams such as Brazilian Cruzeiro, Flamengo, Gremio, as well as Ukrainian Shakhtar, Chinese Wuhan Zall or Paraguayan Cerro Porteño, among others.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Rose Herman and I work as an author for Today Times Live. My expertise lies in writing about sports, a passion of mine that has been with me since childhood. As part of my job, I provide comprehensive coverage on everything from football to tennis to golf.
