Milan Baros: Former Liverpool striker to retire at end of Czech season

Milan Baros contests for a header with Jaap Stam in the 2005 Champions League final
Milan Baros started for Liverpool in the 2005 Champions League final

Former Liverpool and Czech Republic striker Milan Baros will retire at the end of the Czech league season.

Baros won the Champions League with the Reds in 2005, a year after winning the golden boot at Euro 2004, where his side reached the semi-finals.

The 38-year-old, who currently plays for Banik Ostrava in his home country, has struggled with Achilles and calf injuries in recent years.

"The head would like to, but the body has already said stop," said Baros.

"Those health problems have been with me for a long time and the body is not working as I was used to in my career."

He added: "The reasons are clear. Age cannot be stopped. Secondly, my health side, which has been bad for the last season. After any workload, I started to feel such pain that it is not possible to continue my professional career."

Baros also featured for Aston Villa and Portsmouth in the Premier League, winning the FA Cup with the latter in 2008.

He played for the likes of Galatasaray, Lyon and Antalyaspor before returning to the Czech Republic in 2014.

He retired from international football in 2012.

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