Samir Nasri: Former Manchester Metropolis and Arsenal midfielder broadcasts retirement at 34 | Soccer Information

Former Manchester City and Arsenal midfielder Samir Nasri has announced his retirement from football at the age of 34.

Nasri, who won two Premier League titles and a league cup with City during his five-year stay at Etihad, most recently played in Belgium for ex-teammate Vincent Kompany’s Anderlecht team.

The former French international was previously on loan at Sevilla, then at Antalyaspor and West Ham after leaving City, but left the Belgian team when the coronavirus pandemic brought football to a standstill in the country in 2020.

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Nasri on duty for Arsenal

In 2018, Nasri was placed on an 18-month ban by UEFA after receiving intravenous treatment in a Los Angeles clinic two years earlier in violation of World Anti-Doping Agency rules.

Speaking to the French magazine Le Journal du Dimanche Nasri, it was revealed that the ban had played a role in his decision to retire as it had disrupted his career.

“One incident hurt me very much and changed my relationship with football: my suspension. I thought it was more than unfair as I didn’t use drugs,” he said.

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Nasri joined West Ham in December 2018

“It was just an injection of vitamins because I was sick. It threw me off course.”

Nasri started his career at Marseille before joining Arsenal in 2008.

He spent three years in north London before moving to Manchester City, where he won two Premier League titles, before joining Sevilla on loan in 2016.

The midfielder met Kompany again in Anderlecht in July 2019 but only made seven appearances for the club and said he didn’t want to return to Ligue 1 unless it was a move back to Marseille.

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Nasri won two Premier League titles at Manchester City

“It was an emotional side, but also the idea of ​​being a player and somehow also being a staff member. Since I would like to train, I thought I would learn the job with him.” [Kompany]”, he added. “It didn’t go as planned. Then the league was suspended because of Covid.

“After that, I didn’t necessarily have the motivation anymore. No challenge really suited me. And I couldn’t imagine going back to France if it weren’t for OM.”