Former Brazil, Atletico and Inter defender Joao Miranda retires

Former Brazil, Atletico Madrid and Inter defender Joao Miranda has announced his retirement from football at the age of 38.

Miranda won LaLiga, the Copa del Rey, Supercopa de Espana, Europa League and European Super Cup with Atletico, as well as reaching the Champions League final.

After four seasons with the Spanish side, Miranda moved to Inter in June 2015 and spent four years at San Siro without winning any major honours.

The centre-back then spent a short period with Jiangsu Suning prior to returning to Brazil with former side Sao Paulo, where he concluded his playing career.

He won 58 caps for Brazil at international level and was a member of their Confederations Cup and Copa America-winning squads in 2009 and 2019 respectively.

Miranada, who started his playing career with Coritiba in 2004 and also spent a year in France with Sochaux, confirmed his retirement on Twitter on Wednesday.

“The moment has arrived,” he said. “To everyone who cheered for me, my most special thanks. Thanks a lot, football!”

O momento chegou. A todos que torceram por mim, meu agradecimento mais especial. Muito obrigado, futebol!

Fica a história.

@ligaagencia pic.twitter.com/W7doWCrvmk

— Miranda (@miranda023) January 11, 2023

Miranda, who headed the winning goal for Atletico against Real Madrid in the 2012-13 Copa del Rey final, added in an interview with Marca: “I’m proud of my career.

“I’m missing only a Champions League. That’s the most beautiful thing I could have given an Atletico fan, but I think I’ve done everything to win and I think it was a nice story.

“But even that year we achieved something very big, which was to win LaLiga and a week later it was like a prize to be playing in the Champions League final.

“I think it was a top year and it was a shame that Real Madrid was up against us, who had been resting for two weeks and played a very good final.

“If it came to be against a team with the same wear and tear as us, surely we could have won.”