Allsvenske striker is forced to stop – at 26 – Aftonbladet

André Thorleif’s pro career is over.

The 26-year-old Falkenberg striker forced to quit for health reasons.

– I have recently been diagnosed for rheumatoid arthritis. Football is no longer possible, he said.

In a season marked by pain and injuries still managed to make seven premier league matches for the newcomer. But since the summer have pain in my feet removed joy.

After receiving his diagnosis says 26-year-old about the disease.

– I have had problems with my feet since last summer and has well known to me that there was something strange, every exercise has been hard. The joy disappears and I have been really depressed for a while and will probably be there for some time, says Thorleifsson to the club’s website.

Prominent AIK

The Icelandic-born upplänningens career took off in Sirius at age 15. From there, he was recruited to AIK’s youth academy, where he was a prominent ungdomssspelare. 2007, the move to AIK’s cooperative club Väsby United and continuous injuries meant that he chose to quit football in 2010.

Thorleifsson started playing back in 2011 with friends in Division 5 and after

making 107 series goals over four years up to Division 3 began his pro career when he got a contract with Falkenberg for this season.

“Luckily I have training”

It came to be a tough first, and only, season in the headlines.

– For me personally, it has been very difficult. Aside of rheumatoid arthritis, I have had football-related injuries with an operation conducted last spring, he said.

Now waiting for a new life for the striker.

– I have said it to my loved ones , it’s lucky that I have an education (economics and mathematics) that I will soon finish and interest in something other than football. I probably enjoyed it considerably harder if I had not.

PLUS: Location of all 16 teams in the league right now!