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Football is nothing without emotion. From young talent to high-quality superstars to those nearing their final bow, the variety of emotions players live through is quite daunting. Yet it's safe to say that while everyone eagerly awaits their professional debuts, no one is looking forward to the day when their journey ends.
It is not only a difficult moment for the players but for the fans and the game too, who have stood with them through thick and thin. Many players bowed out as superstars, who eventually jaded as twilight arrived. However, there were a few who even towards the end of their careers were greatly valued in the market.
We have usually seen that when age catches up with defenders they lose their imposing nature while defending in the box. They are seen playing catch up to younger players and eventually witness a decline in their market values. Exceptions are always there and this list focuses on those exceptions.
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Here are five defenders with the highest market value at the time of their retirement.
#5 Alvaro Dominguez - €6 million
Despite representing Spanish giants Atletico Madrid at senior level and Real Madrid in their youth setup, Alvaro Dominuez might come across as an unknown name. The reason behind that is solely down to his premature retirement, without which he could well have been a more popular name today.
The Spaniard was an important member of Atletico's side from 2009 to 2012 winning two Europa League titles and also the Super Cup. He then moved to Borussia Monchengladbach where he had to retire due to persistent back problems.
In the 2015-16 season, his last, Dominguez, was able to make only six appearances for the German outfit. He had to go through two surgeries that season and rightly decided to prioritize his health over the game.
Naturally, this was a defender who was the age when many hit their prime. Hence the 27-year old was valued at a €6 million in the market at the time of his retirement.
He was naturally a left-back but transitioned quite seamlessly to the centre-back position under then Atletico Madrid boss Quique Sanchez Flores.
#4 Dean Richards - €7 million
Another case of medical issues forcing a player into retirement was of former Tottenham Hotspur player Dean Richards. The Englishman was loved by the crowd wherever he was employed and left a positive mark on the game. His long strides and the liveliness to cover the whole ground up were quite memorable.
Richards made a name for himself by playing for Wolves and was then signed by Southampton in 1999, his first Premier League club. He soon became a regular and earned the Fans' Player of the Year award with the Saints.
Dean was a goal-scoring threat in set-piece situations and scored seven goals in his Premier League career.
Tottenham boss Glenn Hoodle was highly impressed with Richards and signed him in 2001. The centre-back retired in 2005 while he had a market value of €7 million.
He hung up his boots due to frequent spells of diziness and nausea. Sadly, he lost his battle with illness in 2011 at the age of 36.
#3 Ignazio Abate - €8 million
Sexy, handsome, beautiful. Ignazio Abate often landed himself on lists that were constructed on those adjectives. But 448 appearances at club level were enough to prove that the Italian was admired not only because of his looks but also because of his on-field displays.
Abate had to stay strong and put up a fight to become a regular at AC Milan, his one true love. After five consecutive loan spells and 80 appearances in Serie B, he found himself settling into the side. He was a part of the team for 10 seasons and called his time in 2019 while he was still valued at €8 million.
As a right-back, his pace and directness were two of his best attributes and helped him thrive in Serie A. He won the Italian top-flight with Milan in 2011 and also two Supercoppa Italia titles. Abate was also capped 22 times for Italy.
#2 Willy Sagnol - €9.5 million
When he signed for Bayern Munich from AS Monaco, Willy Sagnol was bought for a price-tag of €7.7 million. Interestingly, when he was retiring in 2009, aged 31, he was valued at €9.5 million in the market.
The France international benefitted immensely from the move as he added substantial trophies to his cabinet.
He was a regular in the Bayern Munich side for seven years after joining in 2000. There were evident changes in Sagnol's style of playing when he moved to Germany.
For French clubs Saint Ettiene and AS Monaco, Sagnol was more concerned with defending the rearguard, but with the Bavarians he was more attack-minded.
The Frenchman never registered a goal contribution until he joined the German giants and in those seven years he stacked up eight goals and 50 assists. Of the many titles he won, the Champions League of 2001 and five Bundesliga titles stand out.
He was the first choice right-back for the France team as well and won the Confederations Cup twice. Sagnol was also an important part of France's 2006 World Cup runner-up team.
#1 Philipp Lahm - €11 million
Nicknamed the 'Magic Dwarf', Philipp Lahm was among the most genius brains to play the game. In his highly decorated career that spanned over 15 years, Lahm won it all with Bayern Munich. The right-back was a great reader of the game and anticipated things at quite an astonishing pace.
He was technically gifted, humble and no-nonsense at all. In fact, he never received a red card in his entire career! The former Germany captain was considered the benchmark for defenders by many and a personality one could learn a lot from.
Lahm was as versatile as they came. He filled in at left-back when needed, played as a central midfielder in Pep Guardiola's system and never looked out of sorts. He captained Germany to their 2014 World Cup triumph and won 21 titles with Bayern Munich.
The Bayern Munich legend was the third most valuable player of all time at the time of his retirement. He was valued at €11 million in 2017 when he hung up his boots.
