Immobile Retires From Football
Italy and Lazio Legend Ciro Immobile Retires at 36 After Storied 17-Year Career
Key Points
Immobile's final season was with Paris FC; he joined in February after a serious thigh injury, making 12 Ligue 1 appearances and scoring two goals.
His career spanned many clubs before Lazio, including Juventus, Pescara, Genoa, Torino, Borussia Dortmund, Sevilla, Besiktas, and Bologna; at Lazio he became the all-time top scorer with 207 goals in 340 appearances.
Immobile was part of Italy's Euro 2020-winning squad and scored twice in the tournament, which culminated in the Wembley final against England.
There are divergent tallies of his career totals across outlets: one source lists 656 official matches and 350 goals, another cites about 306 club goals in 599 matches, while others quote around 650+ matches and 320+ goals.
In his farewell, Immobile said it is time to stop, that he loves football and has many plans for the future, and reports note his Paris FC contract would have run to June 2027 despite his retirement.
Ciro Immobile has retired from professional football at 36, ending a 17-year career in which he scored 350 goals across 656 official matches, according to The Score. The Italian striker announced the news in a video message to his Paris FC teammates, saying it was time to stop and that he has "many plans for the future."
Immobile leaves the game as one of Italy's greatest ever strikers. He is Lazio's all-time top scorer with 207 goals in 340 appearances and was a key member of Italy's Euro 2020-winning squad, per bein Sports.
Lazio's All-Time Record Breaker Calls It Quits
Immobile's best years came at Lazio, where he spent the core of his career and became the club's greatest ever scorer. His 207 goals in 340 appearances put him in a class of his own in Rome. He also won multiple Serie A top-scorer titles and claimed the European Golden Shoe in 2020, awarded to Europe's top league goalscorer that season, according to bein Sports.
Before Lazio, Immobile moved through a string of clubs across four countries. He passed through Juventus, Pescara, Genoa, Torino, Borussia Dortmund, Sevilla, and Besiktas before finding his true home in Rome, per bein Sports. That global journey made his eventual Lazio dominance all the more striking.
Euro 2020 Title Capped Italy's Greatest Striker
Immobile scored twice at Euro 2020 as Italy swept to the title, beating England in the final at Wembley. The tournament win cemented his place among Italy's elite forwards. He earned 57 caps for the national team and scored 17 international goals across his career, according to The Score.
That Euro 2020 triumph came at the peak of his Lazio form. Italy had not won a major tournament since 2006. Immobile's goals in the group stage helped Italy build momentum early, and the country's first European Championship in 53 years remains a defining chapter of his legacy.
A Difficult Final Chapter in Paris
Immobile's final stint was a tough one. He joined Paris FC from Bologna in January 2025 after suffering a serious thigh injury. Hampered by fitness issues, he made just 12 Ligue 1 appearances and scored only two goals, per Daily Sports. His Paris FC contract had been set to run until June 2027.
Despite the difficult ending, Immobile chose to walk away on his own terms. Head Topics reported that he cited persistent injuries and a desire to spend more time with his family after nearly two decades as a professional. "I love football," he said, but made clear the time had come to stop.
350 Goals, 17 Years, One Enduring Legacy
The numbers tell the story. Across 656 official matches, Immobile scored 350 goals, according to The Score. He played in Italy, Germany, Spain, Turkey, and France. No Italian striker of his era matched his consistency or his club record at a single team.
Immobile said he has plans for the future, though he has not spelled out what comes next. Daily Sports noted the farewell marks the end of an era for Lazio and Italian football. At just 36, his next chapter is likely to draw as much attention as the one he just closed.
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