Thiago Alcantara has revealed he broke down in tears when he realised his Liverpool career was over, after suffering a hamstring injury in a match he was not supposed to play.
The Spaniard joined Liverpool in 2020 from Bayern Munich while the Reds were Premier League champions, but recurring injuries stopped him from consistently showing his best form. He won the FA Cup and League Cup at Anfield and reached the Champions League final in 2022.
After hip surgery in the summer of 2023, Thiago missed almost all of his fourth and final season at Liverpool before making the difficult decision to retire.
Not scheduled to play
Speaking to The Athletic, Thiago explained that his last game for Liverpool, against Arsenal, was not meant to happen. He said: "I think the last game I played with Liverpool, against Arsenal, I didn't mean to play [or wasn't supposed to]. [It] was not in the medical doctor's schedule that I had to play but Jurgen asked me if I wanted to travel with the team, because as a player and a person, it would be a good impact to the team."
He added: "I was on the bench and suddenly [Klopp said], 'You want to play?' I say, 'If I came here, yes, I want to play.' I wasn't ready to play...and suddenly after five minutes of playing, I pulled my hamstring for the first time in my career. And I knew that was career-ending, because I was struggling a lot with injuries.
"After that it took me time. I cried in the game, I cried after. But then it's just to get in peace with yourself."
Coaching future
Thiago made 98 appearances in four years at Liverpool before retiring in 2024. He soon moved into coaching at Barcelona, serving as assistant to Hansi Flick in two separate stints before leaving after the club won its second straight league title.
He has also been linked with a return to Merseyside. Thiago was pictured at Liverpool's AXA Training Centre earlier this year, where he held talks with manager Andoni Iraola. Although no official role has been confirmed, he told Rio Ferdinand in July that he could not join Liverpool's coaching staff because he lacks the required badges.
That may change in the future as he looks to follow compatriots like Mikel Arteta and Xabi Alonso into Premier League management, with unfinished business at one particular destination.
