SAO PAULO, Brazil -- Former Brazil and Barcelona star Rivaldo officially retired on Saturday after a 24-year career that he said was built "upon a miracle" that allowed him to overcome financial challenges and disappointments. Ecco Shoes Uk Outlet . The 41-year-old midfielder, a World Cup winner with Brazil in 2002, hadnt been playing at a top level for several years and finally decided to end his career with an announcement on his Twitter and Instagram accounts. FIFAs player of the year in 1999, Rivaldo had been playing sparingly for minnow Brazilian club Mogi Mirim. He is expected to remain as the president of Mogi Mirim, where his 18-year-old son is now playing. "With tears in my eyes today I would like first to thank God, my family and all the support (and) the affection that I received during those 24 years as a player," Rivaldo said in a statement published both in Portuguese and in English. "Today, I communicate to all my fans in the world (that) my history as a player came to the end." The talented playmaker thrived in Brazil and abroad in the 1990s, winning two Spanish league titles with Barcelona and the 2003 Champions League trophy with AC Milan, which was his last top European club, before spending time in Greece and finally returning to Brazilian football four years ago. The last top team he played in Brazil was Sao Paulo in 2011, but he was released after an unsuccessful stint in which he played only a few matches as a starter. Before rejoining Mogi Mirim, the team that launched him to the national scene in 1994, Rivaldo played for Kabuscorp in Angola and then for Sao Caetano in Brazil, which he left last year citing knee pain. In his statement, Rivaldo mentioned the hardships that he had to overcome early in his career. He said there were "many obstacles, challenges, waivers, longings, disappointments," but also "much greater joys, achievements, growth (and) change" that allowed a "distant dream" to come true. "I built my career upon a miracle, (living) in (the small city of) Paulista, no financial resources, no businessman, incentives only of my family, discredited by doctors and trainers," he said. "With persistence, dedication and especially with the hand of God, I came to be recognized as the best player in the world, world champion." Along with his statement, Rivaldo published a photo of him with tears in his eyes and another of him alongside his son, Rivaldo Jr. Last month, they got to play together in a Mogi Mirim match and Rivaldo said he fulfilled a longtime dream. Rivaldo also played in the 1998 World Cup, when Brazil was runner-up to France. With the Selecao, he also won the 1997 Confederations Cup, the 1999 Copa America and a bronze medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Rivaldo also previously played for traditional Brazilian clubs Palmeiras and Corinthians, as well as for Deportivo La Coruna in Spain, Olympiacos and AEK Athens in Greece, and Bunyodkor in Uzbekistan. Ecco Shoes Uk Sale . -- Kansas City Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer will be out three to six weeks with a stress fracture of the third finger of his right hand. Cheap Ecco Shoes Online . -- Two out of three aint bad. http://www.clearanceeccouk.com/ . "There are a lot of things that are going very well in this organization. Im not coming in here to rip things apart," Nicholson told reporters Friday. "I know what Hockey Canada was when I started, and I know where this (Oilers) organization is today. ARLINGTON, Texas -- Yu Darvish brought the heat to win for the first time in eight starts and the Texas Rangers squeezed out a series-clinching victory. Relying heavily on his fastball, primarily a four-seamer, Darvish struck out eight in 6 2-3 scoreless innings and the Rangers scored twice on a squeeze bunt in a 3-2 victory over Mat Latos and the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday. "His performance was good. He was going against another good one, and they matched zeroes," manager Ron Washington said. "Once we put the runs on the board, Darvish did what we needed him to do. Looked like the same Darvish to me." The Rangers finally scored against Latos (7-2) in the fifth when Elvis Andrus bunted. Latos made a barehanded grab and scoop in one motion. The toss home hit the earflap of Engel Beltre, who was still on the ground when Leonys Martin also scored for a 2-0 lead. "It was just a reaction. He bunted it pretty hard. I felt I could make a play," Latos said. " As I look back, I should have held on to the ball." Darvish (8-3) won for the first time since May 16, ending his longest professional winless drought -- in his two years with the Rangers or seven in Japan before that. The right-hander was 0-2 with a 2.93 ERA in those seven games, when Texas scored only 12 runs while he was on the mound. "As a starter, if the team doesnt win the day that you pitch, that can be really frustrated, so that was my thing," Darvish said through his translator, though he insisted later he wasnt overwhelmed by the winless streak. "I was thinking how I could live day by day, and nothing really special." The AL West-leading Rangers have won 10 of 13 games since a six-game losing streak. Cincinnati has lost seven of nine. Darvish threw 77 of 117 pitches for strikes on a sunny afternoon when the game-time temperature was 90 degrees-- 10 degrees cooler than at the start of Friday nights series opener. While increasing his majors-best strikeout total to 151, he walked four and scattered four hits with only one 1-2-3 inning. There was an 11-pitch at-bat in the first inning against Brandon Phillips, who didnt get a breaking ball while at the plate. The first ball didnt come until the ninth pitch, and he eventually struck out to end the inning. That set a tone for what Darvish was trying to do. "I just wanted to shut all the people up that were talking about my fastballs," Darvish said. "I love when he throws more fastballs," shortstoop Andrus said. Ecco Shoes Wholesale. "I think that he gets a little tougher. Thats when his slider works way better too. He did a great job of keeping us in the game. ... When youve got your ace out there, you always want to win and score some runs early so he can feel better." Joe Nathan, the fifth Texas reliever, pitched a perfect ninth for his 27th save in 28 chances. Latos, 21-6 in his 50 career starts for the Reds, struck out nine and walked two in 6 2-3 innings. He gave up three runs, two of them earned. Beltre led off the fifth by dragging a bunt past the mound for a hit before Martins hustling double. Martin extended his hitting streak to 14 games, matching the longest by a Rangers player this season, on the hit to right-centre when he slid inside of second base and reached back to grab it while avoiding the tag. When sliding into home, Beltre couldnt steer clear of the ball that ricocheted off his head, nor could he avoid the hard collision with catcher Devin Mesoraco trying to block the plate. "I figured Andrus would be aggressive so I called for a first-pitch slider. To his credit, he got the bunt down," Mesoraco said. "With the speed they had on the bases, it didnt have to be a perfect bunt." Martin scored and Andrus wound up at second before trainer Jamie Reed and Washington were able to check on Beltre, who got up and walked back to the dugout a couple of minutes later and stayed in the game. Martin led off the seventh with a single, stole second and scored on a bloop single by Nelson Cruz. Robbie Ross got the last out of the seventh after taking over for Darvish. Tanner Scheppers made his team-high 39th appearance, after three days off, and threw only two of his nine pitches for strikes. Scheppers walked Zack Cozart on four pitches in the eighth and gave up consecutive singles to Joey Votto and Brandon Phillips before going to a 2-0 count against Jay Bruce -- and being relieved by Neal Cotts. Jay Bruce and pinch-hitter Chris Heisey had consecutive sacrifice flies. NOTES: The Rangers are off Monday, their only off day this season that will come in the middle of a homestand. ... Texas finished June at 14-14. ... Cincinnati has played twice at Rangers Ballpark. The Reds also lost two of three games in 2002. ... The Reds sixth ended when first baseman Mitch Moreland backhanded Xavier Pauls grounder and threw to second to start a double play. Moreland hustled back to take the relay throw at first when Darvish wasnt yet at the bag. ' ' '