"It seems I will soon have to get artificial joints."

Spain's 'Marca' reported on the 15th (Korean time) that "recently, the condition of Gianluca Zambrotta, an Italian football player who previously played for Juventus, FC Barcelona, and AC Milan, has been made public," noting that "he needs to undergo major surgery to cut his bones and insert a metal plate due to severe genu varum that prevents him from walking normally."

Zambrotta is a legend who began his professional debut in 1994 with his hometown team Como and built an illustrious career. He gained attention through his performances at Bari, transferred to Juventus in 1999, and established himself as a world-class fullback, experiencing two Serie A championships and a UEFA Champions League runner-up over seven seasons.

Zambrotta, who played a key role in winning the 2006 FIFA World Cup, transferred to Barcelona after Juventus was relegated due to the Calciopoli scandal, making 58 appearances over two seasons and establishing his presence in Spain. He later returned to AC Milan, where he added a Serie A title in the 2010-11 season, reaffirming his status in Italian football.

Zambrotta also made significant contributions to the Italian national team. From 1999 to 2010, he played 98 matches, scoring two goals, and contributed to the runner-up finish at Euro 2000 and the victory at the 2006 World Cup. Notably, he was selected for the tournament's best XI, aiding his country's World Cup triumph.

After serving as a player-coach in Chiasso, Switzerland, in 2013, Zambrotta retired from active play in 2014. Since then, he has continued his football career as a coach with Delhi Dynamos in India and Jiangsu FC in China. Having served as the head coach at Jiangsu until the 2017-2018 season, he recently revealed shocking news about his condition.

It is reported that he has to undergo major surgery to cut his bones and insert a metal plate in order to walk properly. Zambrotta appeared on a podcast and said, "My leg is currently severely bowed outwards. To properly correct this, I need to undergo a procedure to cut the bones and insert a metal plate. I will be cutting the bones above and below the knee and placing a metal plate in between."

Furthermore, while Zambrotta can engage in light activities like paddle tennis, his joints are already severely damaged. He explained, "Doctors are very surprised when they see my knee. They said I need to have a total artificial knee replacement within a few years," adding, "If things stay the same, I may not be able to walk properly in a few years."

The condition Zambrotta is experiencing is known as genu varum, characterized by the outward curvature of the knee and the entire leg taking on a curved shape. It is a disease often seen in football players, but it is rare to be as severe as in Zambrotta's case. It is particularly shocking news given that Zambrotta had no major injuries during his playing career.

Zambrotta stated, "Honestly, I don't understand the reasons for my condition. There might be genetic factors, but it seems that the lack of cartilage in my knee while playing as a footballer could also be a cause. I think I should have started treatment a bit earlier." He noted, "I have met several nationally renowned surgeons, but they are amazed at how I walk. Right now, I feel like a research subject for surgeons’ laboratories."

He continued, "It looks like I will soon undergo major surgery to cut the bones in my knee and insert a metal plate. To straighten my leg, I will need to gradually cut the bones above and below the knee and insert a metal plate. For now, it is a measure to avoid artificial joints, but I will eventually have an artificial joint surgery within a few years." He sighed.

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