Ex-Germany, Real Madrid and Arsenal star Mesut Özil retires | OneFootball

World Cup winner Mesut Özil has announced his retirement from professional football.

The 34-year-old won the World Cup, LaLiga, Copa del Rey, three FA Cups and the DFB Pokal during a 17-year professional career.

At international level, Özil won 92 Germany caps and scored an impressive 23 goals despite primarily being known as one of the greatest playmakers of his generation.

In separate campaigns, he laid on the most assists at a World Cup, a Euros, a Premier League season, a LaLiga season and a Bundesliga season.

The midfielder came through the ranks at Schalke before completing a move to Werder Bremen in 2008. A year later he made his Germany debut and announced himself as a global star at the 2010 World Cup as a youthful German side finished third.

That campaign earned Özil a move to Real Madrid, where he played 159 times in four seasons and struck up a fine partnership with Cristiano Ronaldo before a move to Arsenal in 2013 saw him become the north London club’s record signing.

Özil helped Arsenal end a nine-year trophy drought and ultimately lifted the FA Cup three times, making 254 appearances and scoring 44 goals in seven seasons with the Gunners.

He moved to Turkey in 2021 and played for Fenerbahçe before a move to Istanbul Basaksehir last summer.