Heralded a golden age': China tributes as pioneer Conca quits

Chinese teams and media heaped praise Wednesday on the diminutive Argentine who put Chinese football on the map with a record-breaking move in 2011, paving the way for the arrivals of Didier Drogba, Oscar and Hulk.

Attacking midfielder Dario Conca announced his retirement from the game on Tuesday, just over two weeks before his 36th birthday.

The end of his career made headlines in China, where Conca was hailed as a pioneer, and caused media and fans to reflect on how football has rapidly changed in the country in the past decade.

Chinese Super League (CSL) side Guangzhou Evergrande forked out a then-domestic-record $10 million to buy a 28-year-old Conca from Brazil's Fluminense in July 2011.

But it was his wages which stunned the football world, his reported annual salary of $12.5 million putting him behind only Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo at the time.

It was a vast sum for a player who would never represent Argentina and enjoyed nothing like the profile of Messi and Ronaldo.

"It heralded a golden age," said Sina Sports on Wednesday.

"Chinese fans have deep feelings for him -- he was one of the totems of the Chinese Super League."