Argentine left-back Leonel Vangioni, 38, ended his 19-year professional career on Saturday. Known for his time at River Plate, where he won the Copa Libertadores, and for being coached by Diego Maradona with the national team, Vangioni thanked his family and clubs in an emotional social media message.
Leonel Vangioni, nicknamed "Piri", decided to hang up his boots after a final season at Quilmes, where he played just nine matches in the Primera B Nacional during 2025. In a social media post, he stated: "After 19 years, today I end my career as a professional player, a stage where I was very happy and enjoyed it immensely." He especially thanked his partner, Mariana Acosta, and his three children for their constant support.
His career featured 12 titles in total. At River Plate, which he joined in 2013, he played 129 matches, scored five goals, and provided eight assists. Under coaches Ramón Díaz and Marcelo Gallardo, he won six trophies: the Torneo Final 2014, Copa Campeonato 2014, Copa Sudamericana 2014, Copa Libertadores 2015, Recopa Sudamericana 2015, and Suruga Bank 2015. He debuted at Newell’s Old Boys, where he appeared in 209 games, his career high. He also had stints at Milan in Italy, Rayados de Monterrey in Mexico—where he scored his last goal in 2019—and Libertad in Paraguay.
With the Argentine national team, Vangioni debuted in 2009 in a friendly against Ghana under Diego Maradona. He was called up by Alejandro Sabella in 2012 for the Superclásico de las Américas and by Gerardo Martino in 2014, totaling three official matches as a starter. In his farewell, he added: "I gave it my all, I put everything into every shirt I wore, good or bad but always with honesty and love for this profession that gave me much more than I dreamed." The message included a video with images of his achievements, such as a photo with Lionel Messi, set to "No me olvides" by La Beriso.
