Dani Osvaldo Retires From Football To Focus On His Music Career

Usually when you quit a job or leave an industry, saying you’re doing so to “focus on your music” is seen as a polite fiction to save face without talking about the real reason you’re leaving. It’s like when politicians or business executives step down from their jobs to spend more time with their family.

But apparently Dani Osvaldo really means it.

The former Southampton striker, who’s spent most of his playing career in Italy, announced yesterday at the end of the transfer window that he was retiring from football at the tender age of 30. His reason for leaving the game so relatively early? To focus on his music career.

The Argentine was something of a journeyman in Italian football. After making the jump to Europe from his first senior club Huracán, Osvaldo played for five clubs in Italy in four years. He then left for a brief spell at Espanyol, came back to Italy to play for Roma for two seasons, and then made his blockbuster move to Southampton.

But his time with the Saints revealed why he was something of a rolling stone. Halfway through the season, Osvaldo was banned for three matches and fined £40,000 for violent conduct during a game with Newcastle. A few weeks later, he picked a fight with teammate José Fonte during training that got physical very quickly. He was initially fined and suspended by the club, but it became moot when he was loaned out to Juventus at the end of the January transfer window.

The next season he went to Inter on loan, got in trouble again (this time for blowing off training and fighting with a teammate), went to Boca Juniors on loan, got released from Southampton, went to Porto on a free transfer, rejoined Boca Juniors on a permanent basis a few months later, then got caught smoking in the dressing room and had his contract terminated this past summer.

All of that, from his signing with Southampton to now, happened in three years.

And so, on transfer deadline day, Osvaldo found himself a free agent and being pursued by another Italian club. Chievo Verona reportedly made him a very tempting offer right at the end of the transfer window, one which may have, if not revived his career, at least allowed him to go out on a less acrimonious note.

But Osvaldo apparently saw the writing on the wall. Maybe he realized that, amidst all the troubles at all his past clubs, he was the common denominator. Or maybe he had just been putting off his long-time dream for too long.

Either way, Dani Osvaldo is finally doing it. He’s finally starting that band he’s always talked about.

@FTBL_Likealooks Dani Osvaldo’s favourite band are pretty niche, you’ve probably never heard of them. pic.twitter.com/AMcI3603TC

— Davey Sloan (@DaveySloan) January 17, 2016

Whatever you may think of Dani Osvaldo— and there’s a lot that could be said for his conduct on the pitch and in the dressing room— you have to admit that quitting your job as a professional footballer to start a band is pretty rad.

We’ll be sure to update you once he has a Bandcamp link.