Mesut Ozil, the former Arsenal and Real Madrid midfielder, has declared his retirement from professional football.
Ozil, who presently plays for Turkish club Basaksehir, shared the announcement on his social media platforms.
The 34-year-old expressed his appreciation for his almost 17-year career and highlighted that it is time to step back from the big stage of football due to recent injuries.
During his career, the German international won numerous domestic and international titles, including four FA Cup trophies with Arsenal and played a significant role in Real Madrid’s La Liga title-winning campaign in 2011/12.
In his retirement statement, Ozil thanked his former clubs and coaches, including Schalke 04, Werder Bremen, Fenerbahce, and Basaksehir.
Despite his controversial departure from Arsenal, he expressed gratitude towards all his former clubs. Ozil also thanked his family and fans and declared his intention to remain active on social media platforms.
“I’ve had the privilege to be a professional football player for almost 17 years now and I feel incredibly thankful for the opportunity,” Ozil wrote.
“But in recent weeks and months, having also suffered some injuries, it’s become more and more clear that it’s time to leave the big stage of football.”
“I want to thank my clubs – Schalke 04, Werder Bremen, Real Madrid, Arsenal FC, Fenerbache, Basaksehir – and the coaches who supported me, plus teammates who have become friends,” Ozil added.
He also thanked his family and fans, promising to stay active on social media in the future. “Now I’m looking forward to everything that is in front of me with my beautiful wife, Amine, and my two beautiful daughters, Eda and Ela – but you can be sure that you will hear from me from time to time on my social media channels,” he concluded.
