The former Bayern, Atletico, and Juventus frontman has decided to call time on his glittering 17-year-long senior career.
Mario Mandzukic has announced his retirement from football in an emotional social media post on Friday.
Mandzukic started his senior career in his native Croatia back in 2004. After making some name for himself in the next six years, he joined the German club Wolfsburg.
While at Wolfsburg, he managed to attract the attention of European powerhouses and was eventually picked up by Bayern Munich for €13 million.
The striker enjoyed immense success during his two-year stint at Bayern, winning back-to-back Bundesliga titles and DFB-Pokal trophies. He also experienced Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup glory.
A four-year spell at Juventus also marked a quite memorable time in the Croatian’s career as he led the Italian giants to four successive Serie A titles three consecutive Coppa Italia trophies.
Mandzukic wrote in an Instagram post: “Dear little Mario, while you put on these boots for the first time, you can’t even imagine what you will get to experience in football.
“You’ll score goals at the biggest stages and you’ll win the biggest trophies with the biggest clubs. Proudly representing your nation, you will help write the history of Croatian sports.
“You’ll succeed because you’ll have good people around you – teammates, coaches, fans, and family, agent and friends who will always be there for you. You’ll be forever grateful to all of them!
“Above all, you’ll succeed because you’ll always give your best. At the end, that’s what you’ll be most proud of. You’ll sacrifice a lot, but you’ll know it was worth it because of all the amazing moments.
“You’ll recognize the moment to retire, to put these boots in a cabinet and you’ll have no regrets. Football will always be a part of your life, but you’ll look forward to a new chapter. Enjoy! Your big Mario
“P.S. If you happen to play vs England in the World Cup, just be ready around 109th minute.”
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