(Football news) Aleksandar Kolarov is set on a career to become a sporting director and scout after confirming his retirement from football. Kolarov at the age of 36, spent two years at Inter Milan after three years at Roma since leaving Manchester City in 2017. The Serbian had his most successful tenure when the Serbian international spent seven years at City, helping them to their first two Premier League titles, plus one FA Cup and two League Cup successes. Now that his contract with Inter came to an end, Kolarov called his career off and will now look to move into the backroom staff of football rather than pursue taking up a coaching or punditry career. 

Kolarov made 247 appearances for City in total and became a firm favourite at left back. He scored 21 goals and assisted 37 times for Manchester United. Kolarov then went on to join Roma in 2017 from Manchester City and spent a total of three seasons with the club, tallying 132 total appearances while collecting 19 goals and 21 assists. Kolarov is known for his free kicks when he played for City under Mancini and Pellegrini. Till now, he has won 11 major honours in his long career. In his final season with Inter he featured in almost no game at all as it had become clear that he was not needed on the pitch anymore. Kolarov will bow out as a Serbian legend and was in contention to play in this years World Cup at Qatar but since he’s retired he won’t be able to feature in the biggest footballing spectacle this season

In a statement, he said: "I always knew that sooner or later this moment would come. Although I am sorry that I am closing one chapter of my life, I am grateful that I managed to achieve what has always been my dream. I thank all the people who followed me in this first part of my career. First of all, to every teammate in the teams in which I played as well as in the football team of Serbia, my homeland, which I have always represented with great pride.

"I thank the clubs, presidents, managers, coaches and technical staff, doctors, economists, physiotherapists and all those who helped in my career, and worked hard from the background. I am coming to the end of this phase in my life, feeling great satisfaction with what I have achieved. I hope that with my daily proving on and off the field, I have at least partially repaid this wonderful game and all those who supported me. Now I am already focused on my 'other' life in the world of football. I will soon start training as a sporting director and scout at the National Football Centre of the Football Federation of Italy in Kovercan."

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