Edinson Cavani told to retire

Edinson Cavani’s Boca Juniors spell was meant to be the late-career victory lap, a big-name forward arriving to lead the line and soak up the noise of La Bombonera.

Right now, it is the noise that is swallowing him.

The 39-year-old was booed on his first start since September as Boca drew 0-0 with Racing Club on Friday, a jarring scene for a striker whose reputation was built on movement, finishes, and a work ethic that usually wins crowds over, even on quieter days.

That frustration has since rolled into selection, too, with Cavani then left out of Boca’s cup clash against Gimnasia Chivilcoy on Monday, as the scrutiny around his form and fitness continues to intensify.

The former Manchester United striker signed for Boca in August 2023 and is understood to be part of the club’s leadership group, but the goals have dried up.

His Boca showings have been nothing compared to the standards he set across Europe, including his stint at Old Trafford where he became a fan favourite for his pressing, hold-up play, and ruthless penalty-box instincts.

The core issue, for now, is availability. Edinson Cavani scored five goals across the 2025 season, down on his 2024 output, and has played only twice in 2026 after an injury lay-off.

And that context is exactly why the conversation has now turned brutal.

Now Marca, as covered by The Daily Mail, has reported that Argentina’s 1986 World Cup winner Oscar Ruggeri has told Cavani he “has to stop playing”.

Ruggeri has insisted it hurts to see a player of his stature being insulted, and pointing to the physical reality of trying to compete in Argentina at close to 40, even with a career as decorated as Cavani’s.

Discussing the situation, Ruggeri commented: “I know he [Edinson Cavani] wants to turn the situation around and wants to do well, that he came to Boca and succeeded.”

He continued: “But he has to seriously think about what he can do because his body is struggling.

“He plays a little while, maybe misses a goal, and I see some people laughing, others teasing him, and I think he is so great that he has to make the decision himself, not us.

“He has to make the decision that if his body can’t take it anymore, this is as far as he goes.

“The career he had, what more is it going to give him? It’s saying this is as far as he goes. He is not in debt.

“He came, tried to do it, but physically he couldn’t.

“But when these things happen, notice that every time he’s about to start, something else happens.

“These are signals that football is giving him, that you have to make the most difficult decision we football players have, which is to say this is as far as I go.”

Edinson Cavani has been dealing with lower back pain most recently, and that his injury record since early 2023 has been heavy, which only sharpens the spotlight when a big chance goes begging.

For the 39-year-old, the next few weeks look decisive, because Boca’s crowd can carry you, but it can also turn a slump into a storm.