Claudio Ranieri bids emotional farewell after 37 years in management

The Italian’s last match as a manager was Cagliari’s 3-2 home defeat to Fiorentina on Thursday, where he received a rousing ovation from fans at the Sardegna Arena as well as a guard of honour from his players.

Published : May 24, 2024 09:26 IST , Cagliari - 2 MINS READ

Cagliari’s coach Claudio Ranieri salutes fans after the Italian Serie A football match between Cagliari Calcio and Fiorentina at the Unipol Domus in Cagliari.
Cagliari’s coach Claudio Ranieri salutes fans after the Italian Serie A football match between Cagliari Calcio and Fiorentina at the Unipol Domus in Cagliari. | Photo Credit: Gianluca Zuddas/ AP
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Cagliari’s coach Claudio Ranieri salutes fans after the Italian Serie A football match between Cagliari Calcio and Fiorentina at the Unipol Domus in Cagliari. | Photo Credit: Gianluca Zuddas/ AP

Claudio Ranieri, who famously led Leicester City to a shock Premier League title in 2016, has announced his retirement from football at the age of 72.

The Italian’s last match as a manager was Cagliari’s 3-2 home defeat to Fiorentina on Thursday, where he received a rousing ovation from fans at the Sardegna Arena as well as a guard of honour from his players.

“There is a beginning and an end to everything. It is only fair: to close the circle in this way, where I had started, is something I dreamed of and the dream was wonderful,” Ranieri, who previously managed Cagliari in 1988, told reporters on Thursday.

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Ranieri, who has managed a string of Serie A teams including Juventus, AS Roma and Inter Milan, is best known for guiding Leicester to a fairytale Premier League title.

He also managed Chelsea, Fulham and Watford in the Premier League, as well as Valencia and Atletico Madrid in Spain’s LaLiga.

“Luck does not fall on you, it has to be sought. I was a lucky man: I wanted to be a footballer, I managed to do it. Then when I was 30 I tried to understand if I understood football, I tried and I succeeded,” Ranieri said.

“As a football player I was not a great champion, but as a coach I had a lot of fun. For me it was an honour to be in the world of football.”

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