Mesut Özil has retired from football, ending a brilliant career that included a World Cup win in 2014.
What drove his decision?
Özil decided to retire due to feeling heavy and unable to help his team on the pitch as much as he once could.
He scored 114 goals and registered 222 assists throughout his career.
Looking back at his career
Özil's highlight was winning the World Cup in 2014, and he also enjoyed his time at Real Madrid and Arsenal.
He signed his first professional contract at Schalke and played his first Bundesliga games, which was a dream come true for him.
Life after football
Özil plans to focus on his family in Turkey and has no plans to become a manager or stay in the football business for now.
He has a beautiful wife and two daughters, and he wants to see his kids grow up and enjoy every second with them.
Memories of his career
Özil's first proper memory of his career was being told he would never make it as a footballer due to his small size, but he didn't listen and focused on himself.
He always tried to make his teammates shine as brightly as possible, and he never understood when the public told him to be more selfish and shoot more.
Özil's career was marked by his exceptional passing ability and vision on the pitch, earning him the nickname 'magician'