A FORMER Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid star quit football at 27 years old because he no longer felt “special” and undertook a completely different career.
Sebastian Losada burst onto the scene in 1984 with Real after four years within the club’s esteemed Castilla youth setup.
Losada, now 58, went on to amass an impressive total of 26 goals and six assists in 55 appearances during a seven-year stint with Los Blancos, which included a season-long loan with Espanyol.
But the former striker moved to Real’s local rivals Atletico in 1991 where he only spent a year and registered one goal in 12 appearances.
Another brief spell at Sevilla followed, where he played with the legendary Diego Maradona.
A year later, Losada joined Celta Vigo where he retired in 1995 at a young age.
That was after his one and only Spain cap as he quickly felt like the game had progressed “much faster” than he did and lost his motivation.
Losada told AS: “I realised that after having a meteoric career, and arriving very young at Primera [Division], it had been a few years in which football progressed much faster than I did. Or at least it was my feeling.
“I had been left behind. I noticed that it wasn’t the same. And that in that last year, in 1995, [Javier] Clemente summoned me for a friendly against Uruguay, which is the only time I have gone with the national team.
“It was at that moment that I decided that the time had come to leave football.
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“Celta and its manager Carlos Aimar understood my decision and I felt a kind of relief. I no longer felt motivated or special in any way.”
Losada decided to leave football altogether and instead remained a fan.
The former forward went on to become a lawyer and started his own business.
Losada added: “After leaving football, I practiced as a lawyer and for a while I have been dedicated to my own business, far from football, which I only continue as a fan.”
The ex-Spain international is one of the few players who directly swapped Real for Atletico throughout the years and will be watching Sunday’s derby at Santiago Bernabeu.
And the former centre-forward predicted Jude Bellingham and co will best Atleti.
Losada said: “In these games there is always a lot of motivation to beat the eternal rival of the city, but I think Madrid is the favourite because they play at home.
“I hope, for the show, that it will be a game with goals. Both teams have a lot of potential up front, more than behind.
“And on top of that, the two starting goalkeepers will not be there, although [Andriy] Lunin and [Juan] Musso have shown that they are up to the task.
“I’m from Madrid and I would like them [Real] to win to continue putting pressure on Barcelona.”
