Ozil retires from football aged 34
Former Germany and Arsenal star, Mesut Ozil has announced his retirement from football at the age of 34.
Ozil won nine trophies during his club career including four FA Cups and the Spanish La Liga title in 2012.
He also won 92 caps for Germany and was part of the team that lifted the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
“It has been an amazing journey filled with unforgettable moments and emotions,” Ozil said in a statement on social media
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In the statement published on Wednesday, Ozil added: “I’ve had the privilege to be a professional football player for almost 17 years now and I feel incredibly thankful for the opportunity.
“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.”
Ozil began his career at Schalke and Werder Bremen before moving to Real Madrid in 2010, winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup.
He joined Arsenal in September 2013, winning back-to-back FA Cups in his first two seasons before being named player of the season in his third, and then winning the cup again in 2017.
Ozil later joined Fenerbahce of Turkey on a free transfer in January 2021 but had his contract cancelled by mutual consent in July 2022 when he joined Istanbul Basaksehir, where injuries limited him to just eight appearances.