Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani announced on Wednesday that he is leaving Boca Juniors after three years at the club.

Cavani broke the news in a video message shared on Boca’s social media channels.

“I’ll never regret the decision I made to come here in 2023,” Cavani said, describing his arrival at Boca as “a dream come true.”

“It all started in a magical way, with moments that make you wish time could stand still so you could enjoy them a little longer.”

The former Uruguay international acknowledged that his spell at the club was also marked by difficult moments, which he said prevented him from leaving the mark he had hoped to.

Injured

Since February 2025, Cavani has struggled with a lower back injury after suffering a heavy blow at La Bombonera that fractured his L3 vertebra. The ailment later developed into a chronic herniated disc with nerve compression.

Despite medical advice, Cavani opted to continue playing with painkilling injections. In recent months, his condition worsened, eventually requiring surgery.

“Now I’m facing a challenge that has been much more difficult than I ever imagined,” he said, referring to the injury. “It’s even taken away my chance to compete alongside my teammates, and that’s been one of the saddest moments of my career.”

Cavani said none of those hardships would overshadow the experiences he and his family shared during their time at Boca.

“We’ll be Boca fans forever,” he said, thanking the club’s staff and supporters.

A bittersweet legacy

Cavani joined Boca in 2023 and made 81 appearances, scoring 28 goals. However, he was unable to help the club win a major title during his stint.

His time at the Xeneize produced memorable moments, including his debut goal against Platense, when supporters greeted him with chants of “Uruguayo! Uruguayo!”, and his goal against archrival River Plate at the Monumental in April 2024.

But there were also painful setbacks, most notably his late miss against Peru’s Alianza Lima in Boca’s 2025 Copa Libertadores playoff defeat, as well as a 161-day goal drought at La Bombonera that fueled criticism from fans.

The mixed nature of Cavani’s spell at Boca was reflected in the reaction to his farewell announcement. 

While many supporters thanked him and wished him well, others joked that they had little to be grateful for, celebrated his decision to leave, or sarcastically claimed the farewell video was fake and that he had actually signed a contract extension.