Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund ace Tomas Rosicky retires from football at the age of 37 after 19-year career
Czech winger and playmaker won the FA Cup twice with the Gunners and played 247 games for the North London club
FORMER Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund star Tomas Rosicky has retired at the age of 37.
The winger played 247 games for the North London club after moving from Dortmund in 2006 and played last season at his first club, Sparta Prague.
Rosicky spoke of his series of injuries at a press conference in his home country, after making only handful of appearances for the Czech capital club.
He said: "I knew it was coming. It was harder and harder to prepare for matches, my mind still wanted to play but my body refused.
"Recently my mind also stopped working this way. I had a great football career, I loved football and I would definitely go through it again."
Rosicky scored 23 goals in 105 games for the Czech national team and captained the side at Euro 2012.
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But perhaps injury got the better of him in the end, with the smooth playmaker having several spells on the sidelines throughout his career due to injuries.
Rosicky added: “I would like to thank Sparta for raising me, for being the first step in my career in big clubs, and for allowing me to say goodbye at the place I love the most.”
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Gunners fans will have caught their first glimpse of the stylish Czech star when he scored against them in a Champions League group stage game in 2002.
He won the Bundesliga title with Dortmund that year and stayed in Germany until the 2006 World Cup, after which the Gunners bagged him for an undisclosed fee.