The Italian club Lichy has revealed the reason why the young Juan Gonzalez prompted the retirement of football in the twenties.
The President of Lecce Safirio Steki, Demati, confirmed that Gonzalez decided to retire at the age of 23 because of a congenital heart problem that was discovered during the period of preparation for the last season, praising the role of the club’s doctor who discovered the “rare” problem and the impact of this on saving his life.
Gazzalese-who left the Barcelona Academy to Lichy in 2021-failed to overcome the medical examination he underwent before the start of the 2024-2025 season.
The good words of Sticchi Damiani, president of Lecce, towards Joan González, who hangs his boots with 23 years due to congenital heart disease.
💬 “He has faced it with a balance, serenity and intelligence that suggests that he would have been a great footballer.” pic.twitter.com/ZhDgWNJDH9
– Martín Manchón (@Migrantesbalon) June 4, 2025
“We faced the first obstacle before the start of that season, as we received bad news about Juan Gonzalez, who did not go beyond medical examinations, due to the discovery of a very difficult congenital heart condition,” Demati said.
He added, “We called him again after a year to conduct a new examination that he underwent a few days ago and the situation was the same. I regret that Juan would not get medical approval to continue his professional career.
“I salute our medical team, especially the doctor, Tondo, because they discovered a congenital heart condition that was very difficult in the diagnosis, and thanks to this the life of the young man was saved. His condition is worth studying,” he said.
🇪🇸 Joan González (23 | #Lecce) retires from football, according to the president of the club. The player was detected congenital heart disease a year ago, which has kept him absent the whole season.
“Our doctor has saved his life. He returned to Spain and is studying.” pic.twitter.com/OET0ty5hoS
– Mercatosphera (@mercatosphera) June 4, 2025
“I am in constant contact with Juan Gonzalez. He faced this challenge with maturity and great wisdom. If he continued to play with that mentality, he would become a great player,” Damati continued.
Gonzalez, who grew up and learned football at the La Masia Academy, did not play any match with Lichy last season.
During his professional career with Lecce, Gonzales played 66 games, most of which are in the Italian League, during which he scored two goals and presented his teammates 4 decisive passes, according to the data of the “Transfer Market” website specializing in players and club statistics.
It is noteworthy that Lychi, the Italian league competitor, survived the relegation to the second degree after being ranked 17th in the table with 34 points, just 3 points behind the decline centers.