6 Footballers who retired early to pursue other interests

#4 Mario de Castro

Mario de Castro

Mario de Castro was a Brazilian football player who played as a forward for Atletico Mineiro. He was a fantastic player who scored 195 goals in 100 matches. This is not even matched by the great Pele. He was stubborn and once turned down a chance to represent Brazil at the 1930 World Cup.

While playing a game against Villa Nova, one of the club directors shot the Villa Nova fan after Atletico Miniero won the game. Castro retired from football in protest and started practicing medicine until he died in 1998 at the age of 92.

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#3 Peter Knowles

Peter Knowles

Peter Knowles was an English football player who played as a forward in Wolverhampton Wanderers. Billy Brag called him "God’s footballer" for being deeply religious. While playing for a promotional league in Kansas, America, he became a Jehovah's Witness.

He said, "I shall continue playing football for the time being but I have lost my ambition. Though I still do my best on the field I need more time to learn about the Bible and may give up football." He later worked as a window cleaner, a milkman, and at odd jobs in Marks & Spencer.