Former Man United and PSG Midfielder Herrera Returns to Boyhood Club Real Zaragoza
37-year-old Ander Herrera has returned to his boyhood club Real Zaragoza after 15 years away, joining the team now playing in Spain's third division, and will play without pay, donating his wages to the club's charity fund.
Spanish midfielder Ander Herrera has returned to his boyhood club Real Zaragoza after a 15-year absence. The 37-year-old, who played for major clubs including Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain and Boca Juniors during his career, is now joining a team going through the toughest period in its history — after 13 years of decline, Real Zaragoza now plays in Spain's third tier.
In an interview with the BBC, Herrera said returning home might be the last dream he wanted to fulfill, and that ending his career in his home city felt like the most fitting way to close out his playing days.
Playing without pay
Herrera has decided to play without a salary — all the money he would be owed will instead be donated to the club's charity fund. He explained that he is financially secure, so the decision came easily, and that what matters to him is the chance to help the club, the team and the city rather than a contract.
The midfielder also urged the team and supporters to stop dwelling on past failures, saying that constantly discussing past mistakes only does harm and that the focus should be on the future.
Criticizes social media influence
Herrera also criticized the influence of social media on young footballers, saying the younger generation tends to rush their careers. He expressed hope of passing on his experience to the next generation and did not rule out moving into coaching in the future, citing Basque Country specialists such as Xabi Alonso, Mikel Arteta and Unai Emery as inspiration.
