Former Paris Saint-Germain striker Bruno Rodriguez has had his leg amputated due to 'constant suffering' after retiring from professional football.
Rodriguez spent most of his career in his native France, but also had a brief loan spell in the Premier League with Bradford City in 1999.
He retired from football in 2005 after a season with Clermont Foot and in the 17 years since, he's been effected significantly by a leg issue.
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The Union Nationale des Footballeurs Professionels (UNFP) released a statement on Saturday which reads: "He was one of the strikers who marked our football from the early 90s to the heart of the 2000s.
"@UNFP sends strength and courage to Bruno Rodriguez, who had to, after the effects of his football career, resolve to the amputation of a leg by dint of permanent suffering."
The 49-year-old also received a message of support from PSG, who said: "Paris Saint-Germain sends a message of support to its former striker Bruno Rodriguez, his family and his loved ones in this difficult ordeal.
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"The Club brings you all its strength and hopes to be able to welcome you as soon as possible to the Parc des Princes."
Rodriguez joined Bradford on loan from PSG in 1999 but only played 55 minutes of football in England.
He'd then return to PSG before joining Lens on a permanent move in 2000.
PSG weren't the global superpower they are now at the time and had finished ninth, which was three places below Lens
They've always been a landmark destination in France though and it was a dream of Rodriguez's to play there.
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Rodriguez said in an interview back in 2015 that leaving PSG was one of the biggest mistakes of his career.
When asked if he thought his time in Paris was mixed, Rodriguez explained to SoFoot: "Yes a bit. I had a good end to the season with PSG, and then the leaders did not keep the promises they had made to me, and so I decided to leave the club.
"You have to admit that I made a mistake by leaving like that, on a whim. This is also the biggest mistake of my career.
"I should have waited at least six more months, but lo and behold, with my strong character I didn't listen to anyone and I packed my bags."
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Rodriguez is a former France B international and was close to helping Metz win their first French Division One title in 1998.
Metz finished the season with 68 points, the same as Lens, but a worse goal difference.
Topics: Paris Saint-Germain, Ligue 1, France
Daniel Marland