Former Man City Midfielder Samir Nasri Retires From Football At Age 34

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

The former French international announced his decision on Sunday, September 26 2021 on Canal+, a French media outlet where he now works as a football pundit.
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Samir Nasri came through the Olympique Marseille academy, but move to the EPL in 2018 joining Arsenal, spending three seasons at the Emirates Stadium before moving to Man City where he won the EPL, Carling Cup and the Community Shield trophy.

He joined Sevilla on loan in 2016/2017 and seemed to have revitalised his career in La Liga, though the move was not made permanent.

A short spell in Turkey with Antalyaspor followed, but Samir Nasri mutually terminated his contract in January 2018, before he received a six-month ban from football by UEFA.

This was for breaching WADA rules in December 2016 by receiving an intravenous drip of 500 millilitres of water containing nutrients.

It is that ban that Nasri says made him fall out of love with football, with the playmaker always saying he was innocent.

“One episode hurt me badly and changed my relationship with football: my suspension,” he said on Canal+.

“I found that more than unfair, I had not taken any doping product. It was just an injection of vitamins because I was sick. It cut me off in my tracks.”

Nasri returned to play with West Ham on a short-term contract in 2018/2019, playing five league games in total.

He linked up with ex-Manchester City teammate Vincent Kompany at Anderlecht the following season, though it was another ill-fated spell and he was released in 2020.

Of his move to Anderlecht, Nasri said: “There was an emotional side, but also the idea of ​​being a player and also a little in the staff.

“As I would like to coach, I told myself that I would learn with him [Kompany].