Sergio Aguero has revealed the moment he knew his heart problem was serious - after being 'left in a small room alone with monitors' while doctors ran tests on him in hospital last year.
The former Manchester City striker was forced to retire in December after suffering breathing difficulties during Barcelona's LaLiga game against Alaves the previous month, and was sent for scans.
But the results indicated that the Argentine should not continue his football career after he was diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat, and he has spoken out about the daunting moments he spent during two days in hospital, and 'started becoming nervous'.
'The first 15 days I had a terrible time,' the former forward said on Twitch.
'When it happened, I thought it was nothing and that I was going to be fine, but when I arrived in the hospital and they left me in a small room alone with a lot of monitors around me.
'I realised something was bad. And after two days hospitalised, I started to become nervous.'
He was forced to call time on his playing career aged just 33, announcing his decision in a tearful press conference.
'This conference is to announce I have decided to stop playing professional football. It is a very difficult moment,' he told the media. 'The decision I have taken for my health; the problem I had a month and a half ago.
'I have been in good hands with the medical staff. I made the decision 10 days ago after doing everything possible to have some hope of playing on. I am very proud for my career. I always dreamed of a professional career since the first time I touched a ball at 5.
'I feel OK right now. Obviously the first two weeks were really difficult. When they did the first physical test on me, the medical staff told me there was a very big possibility I would not be able to continue playing.
'I am still processing everything. Then they called me to tell me it was definitive. Right now, I am OK, but I know it was difficult.'