Former Paraguay international Salvador Cabanas says he has forgiven the man who shot him in the head six years ago, ending his playing career.
Cabanas said he had received an offer to join Manchester United prior to the shooting, which happened in a Mexico City nightclub in January 2010.
The 36-year-old said he was now looking to a future in coaching and aimed to become "a good professional."
Speaking in Spain, where the Paraguayan community is honouring him in several cities around the country, he told Cadena Ser radio: "I have forgiven the man that shot me in the head.
"I haven't forgotten his face, but I have forgiven him and I have no problem in saying that.
"What he took away from me was my football career, not to be able to do what I loved the most.
"Back then, I had many offers from European teams but the most complete one was from Manchester United at that time and I was on the verge of going there."
Cabanas, who still has the bullet lodged in his head, attempted a comeback 27 months after the incident and played for Paraguayan third division side 12 de Octubre, where he began his career in 1997.
But he explained: "Had I wanted to keep playing, I would have had to have the bullet taken out but it's very dangerous to have it removed because it's in the back of my head.
"It's a difficult situation not to be able to play and I had to learn to live with it, but I'm lucky I survived, I'm well and fully recovered.
"I would like to be a coach, I'm thinking of becoming a coach in Paraguay. I want to become a good professional."