Soccer-Former Liverpool midfielder Leiva retires at 36 due to heart condition

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Europa League - Play Off First Leg - FC Porto v Lazio - Estadio do Dragao, Porto, Portugal - February 17, 2022 Lazio's Lucas Leiva in action REUTERS/Pedro Nunes

(Reuters) - Former Liverpool and Lazio midfielder Lucas Leiva announced his retirement from football on Friday due to a heart condition, bringing the curtains down on his 17-year professional career.

The 36-year-old played nearly 600 games in his club career, the majority in Europe having signed for Liverpool in 2007, before moving to Italy's Serie A in 2017, where he played five seasons with Lazio.