Mesut Ozil has announced his immediate retirement from professional football.
The 34-year-old left Arsenal in acrimonious fashion in January 2021 and since then has been playing in Turkey, first for Fenerbahce and more recently for Istanbul Basaksehir.
However, Ozil has confirmed he is now walking away from the sport, just eight months after joining Basaksehir for what turned out to be a move blighted by injuries.
A statement on social media said: “Hello everyone, After thoughtful consideration, l’m announcing my immediate retirement from professional football.
“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, Fenerbahce, Basaksehir and the coaches who supported me, plus team-mates who have become friends.”
Ozil’s move to Arsenal from Real Madrid in the summer of 2013 was greeted by huge excitement in north London, and in his first year at the club helped end the nine-year trophy drought as the Gunners lifted the FA Cup, a competition the midfielder went on to win three more times.
In the 2015/16 season he provided 19 Premier League assists, just one behind the record set by Thierry Henry, and he commited his future to the club in January 2018 when signing a new £350,000-per-week deal to end the speculation over his future.
Frustrations began to grow though under Unai Emery, who criticised Ozil’s attitude during his charge of the Gunners, and the arrival of former team-mate Mikel Arteta as boss did not prove to be a clean slate as initially hoped.
Ozil was left out of Arsenal’s 25-man Premier League squad in 2020, with it abundantly clear that he was not in Arteta’s plans, and his contract was terminated in January 2021 with six months remaining on the deal.
His statement continued: “Special thanks must go to my family members and my closest friends. They have been a part of my journey from day one and have given me so much love and support, through the good times and the bad.
“Thank you to all my fans who have shown me so much love no matter the circumstances and no matter which club I was representing.
“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 vou will hear from me from time to time on my social media channels.
“See you soon, Mesut!”
