Icardi leaves football behind after shocking 73-year ban

Mauro Icardi has stepped away from professional football for the time being after failing to find a new club following his departure from Galatasaray, while a staggering 73-year driving ban has added another twist to the Argentine striker’s turbulent year.

The 33-year-old has returned to Argentina and settled into a quieter lifestyle, although he has stopped short of announcing his retirement from football.

Icardi left Galatasaray after earning around €10 million per year during his final season in Turkey, but failed to secure a European contract matching the conditions he wanted.

Rather than rushing to find another club, the former Argentina international has returned home and moved into a country house belonging to his girlfriend, China Suarez, in Chacras de Murray, a residential development in Buenos Aires.

According to Takvim, Icardi has embraced life away from the city and has been spending time on the property's surrounding land, including hunting and other outdoor activities.

His decision to remain without a club has naturally fuelled speculation that he could be preparing to retire. However, Icardi has not officially announced that his playing career is over.

The former Galatasaray captain also responded to criticism over his clubless status, arguing that being without a contract does not mean he has failed, adding, “People confuse unemployment with failure, while I call it securing your life. They confuse being without a contract with having no options. I call it freedom of choice. I worked to own my time and secure my future.”

Icardi’s quieter life in Argentina has been complicated by an extraordinary driving ban after a video shared by Suarez attracted the attention of authorities. The footage showed Suarez appearing to hang out of a car window while Icardi was behind the wheel on a road outside Buenos Aires.

Argentina’s Ministry of Transport subsequently investigated and discovered that Icardi’s driving licence had expired. Officials ordered his provisional disqualification from driving, with reports claiming the ban could run until the end of the century.

“We found that Icardi’s driving license had expired. For this reason, we have ordered his provisional disqualification. The player will need to be assessed to determine his fitness to drive. Road safety allows for no exception,” the ministry said.

Icardi responded angrily on social media, writing: “Think about fixing the roads to improve traffic flow instead of wasting time writing tweets and scratching your balls.”

The striker is reportedly challenging the suspension, while his Italian driving licence, which was valid until 2029, has also been cancelled as part of the dispute. For now, Icardi’s future remains uncertain both behind the wheel and on the football pitch.