Mesut Ozil, a midfielder for Turkish club Basaksehir, announced his retirement from football on Wednesday.
“After thoughtful consideration, I’m announcing my immediate retirement from professional football,” Ozil wrote on his official Twitter account.
“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.”
“It has been an amazing journey filled with unforgettable moments and emotions. I want to thank my clubs – Schalke 04, Werder Bremen, Real Madrid, Arsenal FC, Fenerbache, Basaksehir and the coaches who supported me, plus team-mates who have become friends,” he added.
Thank you ❤️ pic.twitter.com/Aqr4pB5SI2
— Mesut Özil (@M10) March 22, 2023
Prior to joining Arsenal in 2013 for a club record £42.5 million deal, Ozil spent three years at the Bernabeu, where he won LaLiga and the Cup del Rey in Spain. He later won the World Cup in 2014 while playing for Arsenal and Germany.
Read More: FM shares Lyari’s football potential with FIFA president in Qatar
Following his early success at Arsenal, Ozil left the club in January 2021 after being frozen out by then-manager Mikel Arteta. During his stay in north London, he won four FA Cups and appeared in over 250 games for the Gunners. He struggled to make an impact during his year and a half at Fenerbahce, thus last summer he transferred to Istanbul Basaksehir, another Turkish top flight team.
The 34-year-old has decided to end his playing career after making just eight appearances for Istanbul Basaksehir due to injury issues.