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2021 has been a rollercoaster year for world football.
As we enter the last two months of the year, it is worth taking a moment to look back and reflect upon the historic moments of the year.
At club level, viewers saw Chelsea lift the UEFA Champions League once again after a nine-year wait.
On the international stage, we witnessed the Italian national team come out triumphant in the UEFA Euro 2020 tournament. This year, we also saw several top players hang their boots up after vastly successful careers.
Let's take a look at five high-profile players who retired this year.
#5. Wes Morgan - Leicester City
Wes Morgan will have a place in the hearts of Leicester City fans forever.
The Jamaican enjoyed a successful career before his eventual retirement earlier this year. Originally from Nottingham Forest, Morgan represented The Reds for ten years before signing for Leicester in 2012.
His spell with Leicester was successful; and will mostly fondly be remembered for The Foxes' astonishing achievement in 2016.
Captaining the side, Morgan went on to lead Leicester to an unprecedented Premier League title. In a result that was beyond anyone's expectations, Leicester City defied all odds to go on and lift the title.
Since then, the feat has been described as a 'sporting miracle', the kind that happens only once in a millennium. Morgan topped off an incredible career in style: he won the FA Cup with Leicester this year, beating Chelsea 1-0 to the prize.
The defender certainly has a place in Leicester's history books and will fondly be remembered by the Foxes' fans for a long time.
#4. Antonio Valencia - Manchester United
Antonio Valencia is one of the most successful defenders of his generation.
The Ecuadorian enjoyed a career across many countries. Having represented the likes of Villareal and Wigan Athletic, his most prolific stint was at Manchester United in the Premier League.
Operating as a right-back, Valencia went on to represent the Red Devils for ten years. His outstanding career with the club was topped off by being awarded the captaincy during his final season.
Valencia won several trophies with Manchester United. He won two Premier League titles, two EFL Cups, one UEFA Europa League and one FA Cup. He is one of the most successful players in Ecuadorian history.
Valencia has also made 99 appearances for the national team. He left Manchester United in 2019 to return home to the Ecuadorian Football League. He announced his retirement from professional football in May 2021.
#3. Sami Khedira - Hertha BSC
Sami Khedira has enjoyed a widely successful career for both club and country.
The German midfielder began his career with VFB Stuttgart, where he spent four years. His performances earned him a move to Real Madrid in 2010 for an undisclosed fee.
Khedira spent five years at the Santiago Bernabeu before moving to Juventus in 2015. He was with the Turin outfit for six years before joining Hertha BSC where he retired this year.
Considered a versatile midfielder, Khedira was capable of playing anywhere in midfield. He has also occasionally been used in defense and has been up to the mark every time.
Khedira enjoyed vast success during his long career. He was part of Stuttgart's Bundesliga winning side in 2007 and went on to win several trophies with Real Madrid.
He won one La Liga title, two Copa del Rey trophies and one UEFA Champions League award with Los Blancos before moving to Juventus. With Juventus, Khedira won five Serie A titles and three Coppa Italia titles.
Khedira also won the FIFA World Cup with Germany in 2014. He is one of the most decorated players of his generation.
#2. Arjen Robben - Groningen
Arjen Robben is one of the most successful footballers in the history of the sport.
The Dutchman has represented several clubs throughout the course of his career, most notably Chelsea, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. Robben is known for his blistering pace on the wing and his ability to cut in and shoot to great effect.
Having made his name with PSV, Robben earned a move to Chelsea in 2004 for a reported €18 million. He spent three years at Stamford Bridge, winning two league titles and one FA Cup before moving to Real Madrid in 2007.
His time with Real Madrid was relatively short, with Robben spending two years with Los Blancos. He won one La Liga title with the Spanish giants before joining Bayern Munich in 2009.
Robben was with Bayern for ten years, winning a host of different titles. He formed a deadly partnership with Franck Ribery, enabling the side to win a lot of silverware.
Robben won eight Bundesliga titles and five domestic cups, as well as the much coveted UEFA Champions League in 2013. He returned to boyhood club Groningen earlier this year before announcing his retirement in July.
#1. Wayne Rooney - Manchester United, Derby County
Wayne Rooney is a certified legend of modern-day football.
The Englishman came up through Everton's academy before signing for English giants Manchester United in 2004. Rooney went on to represent the Red Devils for 13 years, winning several trophies and becoming a club legend.
Rooney is widely known for his fiery attitude and relentless desire to win. He has played in several positions throughout his career, but is best known for his goalscoring ability.
Rooney enjoyed a very successful period with Manchester United. He won five Premier League titles, one FA Cup, one UEFA Europa League title and one UEFA Champions League title with them.
Rooney also holds the record for being the highest goalscorer in Manchester United's history, with 253 goals to his name. He is also the second-highest goalscorer in Premier League history behind Alan Shearer.
He left United in 2017 to rejoin boyhood club Everton, where he spent a year. Rooney then moved to the US to represent D.C. United for two years. He ultimately returned to England to take upon the role of player-manager at Derby County.
Rooney will forever be remembered as a prolific goalscorer. He has several records to his name, some that seemingly will not be broken for a long time.
