A former striker for Nigeria’s Super Eagles, Anthony Ujah, announced his retirement from professional football on Friday at the age of 34.

The announcement came via an emotional Instagram post on Friday, where Ujah revealed that he is stepping away from the game with immediate effect.

Ujah, who spent most of his playing days in Germany, has been without a club since his contract with Botev Plovdiv ended in July. He spent an injury-ravaged one year at the Bulgarian club, missing 40 games due to a knee injury. He featured in only five games, scoring two goals, before announcing his retirement.

“Today, I make the toughest decision of my life, retiring from professional football.

“I also want to thank every club I have played for, every coach who believed in me, and every teammate who fought beside me on the pitch. Together, we’ve shared victories that will forever warm my heart and defeats that taught me resilience.

“Football has been more than a game for me; it has been my passion, my identity, my home. I will truly miss the emotions, the atmosphere, the dressing room laughter, the celebrations, and even the hard days that made the good ones sweeter.

“A new chapter begins, but my love for football will never end.”

Ujah is considered a legend at FC Köln in Germany for leading the club back to the Bundesliga with his goal contributions and also for his famous celebration with the club’s goat mascot.

Ujah scored 113 goals in over 15 years of professional football, and the highlight of his career was winning the German 2. Bundesliga title with FC Köln in 2014.

He featured seven times for the Super Eagles of Nigeria without scoring a goal.(Punch)