Chelsea double winner, 35, announces retirement and reveals tears in emotional statement after EFL club released him

CHELSEA cult hero Fabio Borini announced his retirement from football with a touching statement four months after his release from Salford.

Borini, 35, was among nine players axed by the Ammies by club co-owners and Manchester United legends Sir David Beckham and Gary Neville.

And the now former striker decided to roll credits on a 17-year journeyman career that saw him playing for a whopping 11 clubs, including Chelsea, Liverpool, Sunderland, Roma, AC Milan and Swansea.

The ex-Italy international looked back at his journey that he revealed started with a tearful flight from his hometown of Bologna to west London where he would kick his career off with the Blues.

And the ex-Parma star is adamant that despite the jitters he felt in that plane back in 2007, he never gave up and is very grateful with his achievements.

The former Sampdoria star took to Instagram to make the big announcement along with photos of him playing for all the clubs he represented, which also included Hellas Verona and Fatih Karagumruk.

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Borini posted: “It all started with a flight. Thank you @chelseafc. I was 16 years old.

“A flight I spent entirely with tears in my eyes, beginning the journey of my career with no real destination, other than the dreams I wanted to achieve.

“From that day on, I started building myself, without knowing what would become of that kid with such a strong mindset. I started building my dreams in my head, and somehow, I ended up turning them into my reality.

“The same reality that today will change forever. The reality that has shaped my past, my present and my future. Today, just like that day when I sat on a plane to London, I feel those same emotions about what lies ahead.

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“Fear. Happiness. Courage. Uncertainty. Dreams. Success. Passion. Sacrifice.

“I want to thank that kid who never stopped believing. And the man I am today will keep believing in the next opportunity, this time without a ball at my feet, but with that same belief. Always. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, FOOTBALL.”

Borini was promoted to Chelsea’s first team just two years after joining their academy and won the Premier League as well as the FA Cup in his maiden season where he amassed eight appearances.

That led to a short but impressive loan stint at Swansea where he registered six goals and four assists in 12 appearances before a transfer to Parma, who immediately loaned him out to Roma where he signed a permanent deal soon after.

The Italian’s stint in Rome didn’t last long as he returned to the Premier league in 2012 for Liverpool where he registered three goals and as many assists in 38 appearances during his three-year spell.

That led to a move to Sunderland, who signed him after short loan, where he amassed 17 goals and five assists in 93 appearances.

A loan to AC Milan followed in 2017 and that led to another permanent move as well as eight goals and six assists in 75 appearances.

Borini’s journeyman career was extended in 2020 when he went on to play for the likes of Verona, Fatih, Sampdoria and ultimately Salford.

The ex-forward played only once for Italy but was part of the team that made it to the final of Euro 2012.