Former Arsenal Goalkeeper, Manuel Almunia Retires From Football Due To Heart Problem

He was Arsenal's Spanish goalkeeper and he almost ended up in goal for England, now Manuel Almunia has been forced to quit the game because of a heart problem.




The 37-year-old was hoping to prolong his career at Serie A side Cagliari but a cardiac problem was discovered during a club medical and confirmed after further tests at Padua.




Cagliari president Tommaso Giulini, speaking to the Italian press, said on Almunia: 'It was picked up in the first visits to Cagliari and confirmed after further tests in Padua (specialist heart hopsital).'




The former Arsenal keeper who also played for West Ham and Watford is understood to have been diagnosed with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy a disease of the heart tissue that causes it to thicken and sometimes cause Sudden Cardiac Death in sportsmen.