Former Barcelona and Atlético Madrid player Arda Turan makes major announcement

TURKISH footballer Arda Turan, formerly of Barcelona and Atlético Madrid, announced his retirement from professional football on Monday, September 12 in a video posted on social media.

Thirty-five-year-old Arda Turan, born in Istanbul and who last played for Galatasaray, has announced that his professional football career has ended.

Arda Turan said in the video: “I want to start by telling you a secret. You may not believe it, but I was a very good free kicker. It is normal that you have not heard this from anyone until now. But this is how my story started.”

He then shared some highlights from his career alongside the words: “It’s time to hang up the boots, tearfully but bravely. I’ve tried to do the best I could during my whole journey. And I think I’ve done a good job. I’m ready again. Until we meet again in football, on the pitch…”

Turan is rumoured to want to continue his career at Galatasaray and become the assistant of sporting director Cenk Ergün.

People reacted to the news on social media.

One person said: “When I was a 10-11 year old kid who was your fan, I was so angry that you left us, I still remember the day when I came home with that childhood mind and turned my head while I was studying and I cried while scraping this picture with the key.

“Destiny has passed years later, you have returned, you have served this community again, you have made us very happy. You showed us Arda from Galatasaray, whose picture I hung.

“Now you are leaving us again, but this time I am not angry with you, I am very happy for you, my brother. As those who truly love Galatasaray, we love you, you are always in our hearts. Good luck, captain.”

https://twitter.com/mulayim_diyin/status/1569303363803664386?s=21&t=2-oupcZaSsplWdVsX4QVVQ

Another wrote: “My son will carry your name proudly, Arda Turan. I will proudly say that my son got his name from Galatasaray legend Arda Turan. May your path be clear, captain, may your path be clear, great Galatasaray member..”

Oğlum senin ismini gururla taşıyacak Arda Turan. Bende gururla benim oğlum Galatasaray efsanesi Arda Turan dan aldı ismini diyeceğim. Yolun açık olsun kaptan yolun açık olsun büyük Galatasaray'lı..

— Burhan Öztürk (@Burhan_ozturk) September 12, 2022

“It has a special place for our generation, at least for me. As if we grew up together, from the first time he took the field to his last game; and now farewell. While he was throwing and rejoicing on the field, we rejoiced on the screen. Of course, this farewell made me feel a little old. May the path be clear, paths will cross again,” another person said.

Bizim kuşak için, en azından benim için yeri özel. Sanki beraber büyümüşüz gibi, ilk sahaya çıktığı andan son maçına; ve şimdi de vedası. O sahada atıp sevinirken, biz ekrandan sevindik. Biraz da yaşlanmış hissettirdi tabi bu veda. Yolu açık olsun, mutlaka yollar kesişir yine. https://t.co/0NjKQl4arN

— Emre (@Gwynblleidd) September 12, 2022

Another person said: “Arda Turan retires. For several years, the Atleti boys dreamed of growing a long beard, shaving their hair and wearing round sunglasses. Ardaturanism existed. It was a way of life. And it was a wonderful trip.”

Se retira Arda Turan. Durante varios años, los niños del Atleti soñaron con dejarse barba larga, raparse el pelo y llevar gafas de sol redondas. El ardaturanismo existió. Fue una forma de vida. Y fue un viaje maravilloso. https://t.co/qL6tpjAn8A

— Diego Gª Argota (@DiegoGArgota21) September 12, 2022

Arda Turan was ranked eighth in a selection of the 100 Best Young Football Players in the World piece published by Spanish magazine Don Balón in July 2008 and in 2014, Turan was ranked 38th in “The 100 Best Footballers in the World” by The Guardian.

Turan holds 100 senior national caps and 17 goals for the Turkey national team, making him Turkey’s fifth-most capped player of all time.

He played 128 times for Atlético Madrid between 2011-2015 before switching to the Nou Camp, where he played 36 times between 2015-2020.

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