Mario Mandzukic retires from football at 35

Former Juventus and AC Milan striker, Mario Mandzukic has retired from football at the age of 35. 

The former Croatian international arrived at Juventus from Atletico Madrid in 2015, and after a spell in Qatar returned to Italy to turn out for AC Milan in January 2021.

He won four league titles and four Coppa Italia, and also won a Champions League and two Bundesliga titles with Bayern Munich. He was also part of the Croatia team that lost to France in the 2018 World Cup final.

In his last club stint in Serie A, he played just 11 times for Milan.

Announcing his retirement on Instagram, he said:  “Dear little Mario, while wearing these shoes for the first time, you cannot even imagine what you will feel in the world of football.

“You will score goals on the most important stages, and you will win the biggest trophies with the biggest clubs.

“Proudly represent your country, you will contribute to writing the history of Croatian sport.

“You will be successful because you will have good people around you: teammates, coaches, fans and family members, agents and friends who will always be there for you.

“You will be forever grateful to all of them! Above all, you will be successful because you will always give your all.

“In the end, this is what you will be most proud of. You will sacrifice a lot, but you will know that it was worth it because of all the amazing moments.

“You will recognise when it’s time to retire, to put these shoes in a closet and you will have no regrets. Football will always be part of your life, but you will be looking forward to a new chapter.

“Have fun! Your big Mario. P.S. If you happen to play against England in the World Cup, be ready around the 109th minute.”