Yuri Gareginyan retires from football at the age of 32

Armenian midfielder Yuri Gareginyan has announced his retirement from professional football. The 32-year-old’s final club was Alashkert, where he spent the last seasons of his playing career.

In his farewell message, Gareginyan thanked the fans, teammates, coaches, medical staff and club administration. The midfielder noted that football had been one of the most important parts of his life for many years, while the memories, friendships and values he gained from the game would stay with him forever.

“Today is one of the most emotional days of my life. For many years, football was my life, my passion and my greatest school. I am leaving the pitch with pride, gratitude and many beautiful memories,” Gareginyan said in his statement.

Alashkert became the final club of his career. In the 2025/26 season, Gareginyan remained one of the team’s regular players and featured in 26 of the 28 possible matches. In total, the midfielder made 50 appearances for Alashkert, playing for the club in the 2023/24 and 2025/26 seasons.

Over the course of his professional career, Yuri Gareginyan played 254 matches, including 242 in the Armenian Premier League. He represented Alashkert, Van, Pyunik, Noah and Ararat. The midfielder made the most appearances in his club career for Noah, playing 65 matches. He also made 53 appearances for Ararat, 47 for Pyunik and 27 for Van.

Gareginyan also made his debut for the Armenia national team. In 2020, he played one match for the national side in the UEFA Nations League against Georgia. That game ended in a 2-2 draw.

During his career, Yuri Gareginyan became an Armenian champion, Armenian Cup winner and Armenian Super Cup winner.