Turkish-German star footballer Mesut Ozil announces retirement aged 34

World Cup-winning Turkish-German midfielder Mesut Ozil has announced his retirement from football at the age of 34 on Wednesday, Turanews.kz reports.

The former Real Madrid and Arsenal player was a key member of Germany’s World Cup-winning side in Brazil in 2014.

He announced his retirement with a message on social media, thanking his previous clubs for their support and Ozil admitted that he is looking forward to stepping back from the full-on life of a professional footballer.

“After thoughtful consideration, I’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,” he said.