Nasri quits football at 34

Former Arsenal and Manchester City star Samir Nasri has announced his retirement from football at the age of 34.

Nasri won two Premier League titles, in 2011-12 under Roberto Mancini and 2013-14 under Manuel Pellegrini, at the Etihad Stadium – playing 46 times in all competitions in both seasons.

The France midfielder’s last club was Belgian side Anderlecht, managed by former City team-mate Vincent Kompany, but he was released in 2020.

French publication L’Equipe tweeted: ‘Without a club since 2020, Samir Nasri has announced his retirement in the columns of the Sunday newspaper, aged 34.’

Nasri, who became a consultant for French TV channel Canal + earlier this month, cited his 18-month doping ban as a major reason for quitting the sport.

He said: ‘One episode hurt me badly and changed my relationship with football: my suspension.

‘I found that more than unfair, I had not taken any doping product. It was just an injection of vitamins because I was sick. It stopped me in my tracks.’

After breaking through at hometown club Marseille, 41-cap international Nasri earned his move to the Premier League with Arsenal.

He eventually moved to their English rivals Manchester City, winning a League Cup and Community Shield as well as the two league titles.

However he struggled after leaving the club, and after a loan at Sevilla had several short spells, at Turkish side Antalyaspor, West Ham and Anderlecht, punctuated by his year-and-a-half ban.

But being reunited with Kompany failed to kickstart Nasri’s career in the way he had hoped.

He added: ‘There was an emotional side, but also the idea of being a player and also a little in the staff. As I would like to train, I told myself that I would learn with him. It didn’t go as planned. Then the season was stopped because of Covid.

‘Afterwards, I didn’t necessarily want to (continue). No challenge inspired me. And I couldn’t see myself coming back to France if it wasn’t for OM (Marseille).’