Belgian Striker Dries Mertens Retires from Professional Football
After a successful career, former Belgian striker Dries Mertens has decided to hang up his boots, with his contract at Galatasaray coming to an end this month.
The 38-year-old made the announcement via a video on social media, revealing that while he is retiring from professional football, he will be taking part in an exhibition match in July organized by his former Napoli teammate, Marek Hamsik.
During his time at Napoli, Mertens etched his name in the club’s history books by becoming their all-time leading goalscorer with an impressive tally of 148 goals.
After his successful stint at Napoli, Mertens moved to Galatasaray where he continued to shine, securing three consecutive Turkish Super Lig titles from 2022 onwards.
His international career was equally impressive, with Mertens representing Belgium in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Despite the team’s early exit in the group stage, Mertens played a crucial role and scored a total of 21 goals for his country.
