The Premier League legend was in tears as he announced his retirement for his health.
Barcelona striker Sergio Aguero has announced his retirement from football at the age of 33 due to a heart condition.
Aguero has not played since the end of October, when he was taken off during the first half of Barca's draw with Alaves after experiencing chest pain.
Barcelona later announced that the discomfort had been caused by an arrhythmia that would require treatment over a three-month period.
The former Manchester City forward has since had regular cardiac exams to monitor his health, with the results advising him it would be a risk to carry on with his professional career.
He announced his retirement at a news conference on Wednesday, joined by Barca president Joan Laporta.
An emotional Aguero said: "This conference is to announce I have decided to stop playing professional football. It is a very difficult moment. 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 five."
Despite an untimely end to his spell at Barcelona, there can be no doubting Aguero's status as one of the foremost strikers of the 21st Century.
After starting out with Independiente in Argentina he moved to Atletico Madrid, winning the Europa League in 2010 and scoring 101 goals in 234 appearances.
That record attracted the interest of an upwardly mobile Manchester City, who paid a reported £38m ($50m) to bring him to Etihad Stadium.
He would go on to become a club and Premier League legend during a 10-year spell in England, winning five Premier League titles, one FA Cup and six League Cups.
Aguero left City in the summer having broken their all-time scoring record, with 260 goals in 390 games, including 16 hat-tricks.
The Argentine is also responsible for arguably the Premier League's most iconic moment, scoring with virtually the last kick of the 2011-12 season to seal a victory over Queens Park Rangers that earned Manchester City a first top-flight title since 1968 and denied fierce rivals Manchester United by virtue of goal difference.