The best players to retire during the 2022/23 season | OneFootball

Arguably the toughest decision that any professional footballer has to make is the one to retire. It is when you admit that you either can't offer what is required of you anymore, or you don't want to play the sport you've spent your whole life immersed in anymore.

It is almost always a sad occasion, but also provides an opportunity for fans to celebrate the careers of players that often meant a lot more to them than they might have realised.

Here are the most notable players who called time on their careers at the end of the 2022/23 season. Some reached a natural stopping point, others fell out of love with the game, and some may have gone under your radar.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic (41 years old)

It was an emotional day at San Siro when Zlatan Ibrahimovic retired / Jonathan Moscrop/GettyImages

The most recent massive name to call time on his career, Zlatan Ibrahimovic was a source of wonder and entertainment throughout his long career. Few players can claim to have played for as many massive clubs as Ibrahimovic, and he has won trophies at all but two of his clubs.

It will always be one of the most confusing football facts that a man who has been at the top level for as long as Ibrahimovic has, and has played for the clubs Ibrahimovic has, never managed to win the Champions League. He seemed to find himself in the wrong place at the wrong time in that regard, but he was able to retire in front of the crowd that adores him more than any other at San Siro.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic club career stats

Appearances: 827Goals: 496Assists: 204Major trophies: 32

Clubs Zlatan Ibrahimovic has played for

Joaquin (41 years old)

Joaquin is a favourite among Spanish football fans / Fran Santiago/GettyImages

A cult hero in Spanish football, Joaquin enjoyed an incredible career and won the hearts of many. He joined the Real Betis Academy back in 1997, and he now holds the club appearance record having played 521 games for Betis.

He won the Copa del Rey with Betis in 2005 before continuing his career elsewhere. He then made his return to Betis in 2015 where he won the Copa again in 2022.

Joaquin club career stats

Appearances: 839Goals: 112Assists: 102Major trophies: 3

Clubs Joaquin has played for

Gareth Bale (33 years old)

Gareth Bale is an incredibly decorated footballer / Soccrates Images/GettyImages

This news was surprising and also not surprising at the same time. Gareth Bale is only 33 years old and was certainly still able to perform at a decent level, but it was also clear that he had lost the fire for club football.

Despite his early retirement, Bale will go down as one of the greatest British footballers of all time.

Gareth Bale club career stats

Appearances: 554Goals: 186Assists: 137Major trophies: 20

Clubs Gareth Bale has played for

Mesut Ozil (34 years old)

Mesut Ozil helped Arsenal to four FA Cups / Harriet Lander/Copa/GettyImages

Like Gareth Bale, this was a retirement that has come earlier than we perhaps would've expected. Mesut Ozil was an absolutely joyous footballer when he was at his peak, and was one of the most technically gifted footballers of his generation.

He showed that in abundance at Werder Bremen, Real Madrid and for the majority of his time at Arsenal too. Although the final few years of his career were nothing to write home about, most of the rest of his career was truly wonderful.

Mesut Ozil club career stats

Appearances: 645Goals: 114Assists: 222Major trophies: 11

Clubs Mesut Ozil has played for

Bojan Krkic (32 years old)

Bojan Krkic was a wonderkid at Barcelona / Koji Watanabe/GettyImages

One of the hundreds of players in the Barcelona academy that have been tipped as the 'new Lionel Messi', Bojan Krkic was at a particular disadvantage given he looked just like Messi as well. The way he burst onto the scene at Barcelona was incredible, but he later struggled in senior football at a number of different clubs across the world (including Stoke City).

Bojan Krkic club career stats

Appearances: 451Goals: 93Assists: 40Major trophies: 14

Clubs Bojan Krkic has played for

Emmanuel Adebayor (39 years old)

Adebayor may have soured his relationship with the Arsenal fans / Shaun Botterill/GettyImages

One of the more divisive figures in Premier League history, nobody can say that Emmanuel Adebayor was not good value for money when he was on the pitch at least. Everyone will remember when he scored for Manchester City against his former club Arsenal and sprinted right to the other end of the pitch to celebrate in front of Arsenal fans.

Adebayor played for some great teams during his career and he is remembered fondly by many fans...except Arsenal fans of course.

Emmanuel Adebayor club career stats

Clubs that Emmanuel Adebayor played for