Ex-Arsenal star Samir Nasri retires at 34

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Former France International, Samir Nasri has confirmed his retirement from football at the age of 34.

He announced his decision on Sunday on Canal+, a media outlet where he is now a pundit.

Nasri came through at Marseille and transferred to Arsenal in 2008, spending three years at Emirates Stadium before he joined Manchester City.

At Manchester City, Nasri won two English Premier League (EPL) titles, a League Cup and a Community Shield.

Nasri 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 Nasri mutually terminated his contract in January 2018, before he received a six-month ban from football by UEFA.

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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 said 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.

dpa/NAN

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