WILLIAM GALLAS, THE man who broke Irish soccer hearts in November 2009, has announced his retirement after a career that spanned nearly 20 years.
Thierry Henry may have been the villain for his handball in Paris in November 2009 in the second leg of the World Cup 2010 playoff against Ireland, but it was Gallas who was on hand to head the ball to the net and end Ireland’s hopes of qualifying for South Africa.
In an interview with French TV programme Sport Confidentiel to be broadcast tonight, Gallas said: “You tell yourself you can always continue, but I think that today I cant’.”
Gallas won 84 caps for France and was a member of the squads for the 2006 and 2010 World Cups, and the European Championships in 2004 and 2008.
He played for all three of London’s major clubs in the Premier League, moving from Caen to Chelsea in 2001 where he went on to win two league titles. From there Gallas had stints with both Arsenal and Tottenham.
And for all his club football exploits, it’s the memories of his dramatic histrionics after Arsenal’s 2-2 draw with Birmingham in February 2008 that we’ll always remember.
