10 Retired Footballers Who Went Out In Style
1. Juan Roman Riquelme
In potentially the sweetest show of loyalty and passion on this list, we have Juan Roman Riquelme.
Many of you will be more familiar with the Argentinian from his stints with Barcelona, Villarreal and Boca Juniors, but the only club that mattered to Riquelme was Argentinos Juniors.
Though he spent the vast majority of his appearances with Boca, his entire career was sandwiched by stints with El Bicho.
The attacking midfielder did not make an appearance for his boyhood club before leaving for their crosstown rivals, though after they were relegated to Primera B Nacional in 2014, Riquelme was given a hero's welcome as he returned to sign an 18-month contract with Argentinos (although the length of this contract was completely unnecessary).
With El Ultimo 10 as the key creator in their side, they returned to the Superliga at the first time of asking.
With his returning ambitions completed early, Riquelme confirmed his retirement just six months after joining, stating that he wished to just be a fan and suffer in the stadium just like everyone else.
Returning to your very first club to end your career is romantic enough, never mind guiding the team back to the top division at the same time.