Ex-Liverpool midfielder Levine retires with heart attack

Former Liverpool and Lazio midfielder Lucas Leiva announced his retirement on Friday following a heart attack, ending his 17 -year career.

The 36 -year-old played almost 600 games during his club career, most of which were European players who signed for Liverpool in 2007 before moving to Italy's Serie A in 2017 , where he played for Lazio. five seasons.

Leiva returned to his boyhood club Gremio last summer, scoring three goals in 17 appearances for Brazil before being sidelined in December after a routine check-up was diagnosed with a heart problem.

" I would like to thank Gremio for all his support during these three months. Today I am announcing my retirement. It has been a difficult period, " Leiva told a news conference.

" I'm ending the way I like it, not the way I like it. But I'm sure a new cycle will start. I had hoped so badly that it would be reversed, but it didn't. My health came first. "

The Brazilian, who won the South American Under -20 title in 2007 , has also won 24 caps for his country.