Egyptian footballer Amr Zaki announced that he is retiring from football Sunday on his official Twitter account, choosing to announce on the same day he scored his first goal in the English Premier League seven years ago.
"This period, with all of its victories and defeats, has been enough for me, and after a year and a half of treatment and rehabilitation, it wasn't destined for me to continue career" wrote Zaki.
"I thank everyone who stood by me and helped me reach what I have achieved in my football career and also everyone who provided me with positive criticism."
"I hope I achieved something for my country that people will remember," he added as he asked the media to let him rest and give him a break from criticism and rumors.
"Like today seven years ago was my first match and first goal in the English Premier League and today I say thank you to football for 15 years of giving. Official retirement," he said.
The former striker's retirement comes after several years of unsuccessful tries at multiple clubs such as Hull City (England), Elazığspor (Turkey), Al-Salmiya (Kuwait), Raja Casablanca (Morocco), Al Ahed (Lebanon) and finally Arab Contractors in Egypt.
He struggled with injuries for the past four years that cost him almost 400 days away from actively playing football and caused him not to play any games for the last clubs he joined.
Zaki became a superstar in Egyptian football when he scored important goals that helped Egypt's Pharaohs win the African Nations Cup titles in both 2006 and 2008; he also scored 30 goals with Egypt's national team in 63 games.
The footballer made his mark away from home when he joined the Wigan Athletic in July 2008 with which he scored 10 English Premier League goals in the first half of the season, he scored a total of 11 goals in 32 appearances with Wigan.
In addition, he held the 2003 Youth African Nations Cup title and won the 2005 Egypt Cup with ENPPI and the 2008 Egypt Cup with Zamalek. Zaki was also nominated for the 2008 (CAF) African Footballer of the Year award.
Fans flooded Zaki's Twitter as they thanked him for his role in Egypt's football victories, reflected on his moments of superstardom and expressed their sadness to see him retire.
