A Morocco international officially announces his retirement

His last stop was in the UAE

Adel Taarabt has called time on his career. The veteran Morocco international announced his retirement on Tuesday, drawing the curtain on a long journey in the game.

The forward confirmed the news in an official statement posted to his Instagram account.

Adel said: "I knew this day would come. The time has come to turn this page. Football has been a big part of my life for many years. It gave me wonderful memories, allowed me to meet amazing people and to live moments I will never forget."

He continued: "I would like to thank every club I played for, every coach, team-mate and member of the technical and administrative staff, and of course every fan who showered me with love throughout this journey."

He went on: "To every club I had the honour of representing, from Lens to Sharjah: thank you for being part of my story. Representing Morocco will always hold a special place in my heart."

Now 37, he reflected: "I had beautiful moments and difficult ones, I made mistakes and lived wonderful nights... I experienced everything. But it was my journey, and I would not change a thing about it. Praise be to God in all cases."

Capped 30 times by Morocco, scoring four goals, Taarabt came through the ranks at Lens. His name rose to prominence in Europe thanks to his exceptional dribbling skills and his creativity on the ball.

A distinguished spell with Queens Park Rangers propelled him to the highest levels. He turned out for Tottenham Hotspur, Milan, Genoa and Benfica in turn, before ending his career with UAE side Sharjah.