2017 was a pronounced year with regards to the retirement of a legion of decorated footballers. In the list below, we have an assortment of winners of the World Cup, European Championship, Copa America, Champions League and pretty much every domestic title out there.
Sadly, we’ve seen the last of this group on the professional pitch and on our gaming consoles via FIFA. Here are 10 footballers (along with a few honorable mentions) that hung up their boots this year.
10 Legendary Footballers Who Retired In 2017
(This list does not include Gianluigi Buffon, Xavi or Didier Drogba, who’ve announced that they’ll hang up their boots in 2018 or Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard, who played their last matches in 2016.)
#1. Xabi Alonso | Real Sociedad, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich & Spain
Photo: @Bayern_mania | Twitter
QUALITY: Xabi Alonso - the king of the long ball pass.pic.twitter.com/5jFuZ9RHLG
— SPORF (@Sporf) July 24, 2015
#2. Francesco Totti | AS Roma & Italy
Photo: @Diregiovani | Twitter
Francesco Totti has scored some beauties during his career... pic.twitter.com/FHDzdrs6cw
— 90s Football (@90sfootball) December 6, 2017
#3. Philipp Lahm | Bayern Munich & Germany
Photo: @liarxl | Twitter
Goal of the Day!
Philipp Lahm didn't score many, but when he did, it was usually a worldy #MiaSanMia pic.twitter.com/RGxXltSnRq— Dugout (@Dugout) November 11, 2017
#4. Andrea Pirlo | Brescia, Inter, Milan, Juventus, NYCFC & Italy
Photo: @EPLArena | Twitter
Never forget you pianist @Pirlo_official pic.twitter.com/78fXM8REce
— #Da7m (@dd55i) December 22, 2017
#5. Kaka | Sao Paulo, Milan, Real Madrid, Orlando City & Brazil
Photo: @samanthaaaz22 | Twitter
To honour @KAKA's retirement and world class, we have chosen of his top beauties in the
Vote the best goal! https://t.co/MmAgoLwNvT
Per celebrare l'addio al calcio giocato di Kaká, abbiamo scelto sue magie in
Vota il miglior gol! https://t.co/b4rsnuWldj pic.twitter.com/1dyMGkZiwE— AC Milan (@acmilan) December 18, 2017
#6. Dirk Kuyt | Utrecht, Feyenoord, Liverpool, Fenerbahce & Netherlands
Photo: @Feljenoord12 | Twitter
| Op 5 februari 2006 deed dit doelpunt van Dirk @Kuyt De Kuip trillen op zijn grondvesten tijdens De Klassieker! https://t.co/ttqN4WMVJh pic.twitter.com/IEGS8uO800
— FOX Sports (@FOXSportsnl) October 18, 2017
#7. Esteban Cambiasso | Inter, Real Madrid, Many Others & Argentina
Photo: @Squawka | Twitter
Simply stunning from @LCFC's Esteban Cambiasso #GoalOfTheDay pic.twitter.com/N5M8UmWfan
— Premier League (@premierleague) September 28, 2017
#8. Tomas Rosicky | Sparta Prague, Borussia Dortmund, Arsenal & Czech Republic
Photo: @BBCSport | Twitter
Rosicky v Tottenham... againpic.twitter.com/DPSexasThs
— IDontLikeSpurs (@IDontLikeSpurs) December 20, 2017
#9. Ze Roberto | Bayer Leverkusen, Bayern Munich, Many Others & Brazil
Photo: @BrazilEdition | Twitter
Bir devrin efsanesi Ze Roberto. Ne topçuydu ama! pic.twitter.com/zq5twnkdGj
— fooball (@fooball) December 20, 2017
#10. Maxwell | PSG, Inter, Barcelona, Ajax, Cruzeiro & Brazil
Photo: @CCentral_ok | Twitter
6 octobre
Quand Maxwell s'envole dans les airs#OMPSG
#PSGmemories pic.twitter.com/nzgwLA4KSq— PSG Officiel (@PSG_inside) October 6, 2017
Special Mention: Alvaro Arbeloa, Martin Demichelis, Scott Parker, Antonio Cassano, Victor Valdes and Kim Kallstrom
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