Montreal Impact star Marco Di Vaio has come forward to officially reveal his intentions for next season, as the Designated Player will retire after a soccer career spanning two decades.
The striker’s skill was automatically put on display in America, as he buried 31 goals in 72 regular season competitions and currently stands as the Impact’s all-time leading scorer. He helped Montreal to multiple Canadian championships and allowed them to qualify for the CONCACAF Champions League.
Di Vaio told reporters that he family will be present at his final game. He also revealed that he will begin his post-soccer existence in his home country, Italy.
“On the 25th, it’s the last game,” he said. “I’ll go back to Italy and start a new life. We’ll see. I don’t know what’s coming for me in Italy, but I want to make the most of those last moments and contribute on the field. … Right now, I’m not thinking about what’s going to happen after the 25th.”
Nonetheless, his ties to MLS and the Montreal look to remain strong, according to Impact owner Joey Saputo.
“Marco will be a very important ally for us to develop Canadian and Québécois soccer,” Saputo said on Friday, via MLSsoccer.com. “He’ll be an ambassador. He knows the club, the city, the North American style of play. He can be relied on to advise us on other players in the future.”
And Di Vaio has great hopes for the future of the league.
“This is the future. MLS is the future of soccer,” Di Vaio said. “I’m sure that in the next few years, a lot of great players will come to play in MLS. We are ready to be one of the best leagues in the world.”