5 HIGH PROFILE FOOTBALLERS WHO RETIRED IN 2022

DUE to the erratic nature of the football calendar this year, some players have had to delay their retirements as a result of the World Cup ending in December. Nevertheless, we have still seen some high profile retirements which have largely been overlooked.

Mark Noble

To West Ham fans, he is “Mr West Ham”. The 35-year-old retired recently after having spent his 18-year professional career on the books of boyhood club West Ham. Noble experienced it all with the Hammers from relegation and mid-table finishes to seeing the club qualify for the Europa League.

He is widely considered as one of the best players in the modern era to have not been capped by England, though he did represent his country at youth levels.

Laurent Koscielny

The Frenchman is best remembered for his nine-year spell with Arsenal, during which he helped the Gunners win three FA Cups. Koscielny was one of the best players in the Arsenal squads that largely misfired under Arsene

Wenger in the last decade. A former Arsenal club captain, he had the makings of a modern day legend at the Emirates but would have lost the trust of many fans of the Gunners when he forced through a move to Bordeaux in July 2019, refusing to train with the squad a head of their pre-season US tour.

Carlos Tevez

While he is one of the rare modern day players to have played for and won Premier League titles with both Manchester clubs, Tevez also has legendary status at West Ham.

He helped the Hammers avoid the drop in the 2006/07 season, delivering performances that convinced Sir Alex Ferguson to bring him to Manchester United ahead of the next season.

A former three-time South American player of the year, Tevez will be remembered for being a tenacious, powerful and dynamic forward. His dancing goal celebrations will never be forgotten.

Mousa Dembélé

The 34-year-old opted to end his career this year following a threeyear spell with Guangzhou City in China.

The Belgian midfielder was a mainstay in the Tottenham team for the best part of the last decade.

According to many fans and pundits, Tottenham would have stood a better chance of winning the 2019 Champions League final against Liverpool had they kept him. He left Spurs for China in January that year.

Jermain Defoe

Defoe bowed out of the game this year following a spell with Sunderland. He leaves the game as a modern day Premier League legend having scored 162 English top flight goals across a career spanning 23 years.

Even towards the end of his career, Defoe proved that he still had it as he helped Rangers claim the Scottish Premiership in 2021, ending Celtic’s domination of the league.

To many, Defoe underachieved at international level but he still scored 20 goals for England across 57 games.