In 2018, there are some football players chose to hang up their boots. Among these big names below, who are the top 5 players in your eyes?
Didier Drogba
The Ivorian retired striker is all-time top scorer and former captain of the Ivory Coast national team, and is named African Footballer of the Year twice, winning the accolade in 2006 and 2009. At club level, he's best known for his career at Chelsea, for whom he has scored more goals than any other foreign player. Drogba became a player-owner for Phoenix Rising of the United Soccer League in 2017, and retired a year later at the age of 40.
John Terry
Terry was previously the captain of Chelsea, the England national team and Aston Villa and is currently working as an assistant coach with the latter. In his final season at Chelsea in 2017, he became the first ever player to captain a team to the Premier League title on five occasions.
Following his departure from Chelsea, Terry spent one season with Aston Villa in the EFL Championship before retiring.
Ronaldinho
Ronaldinho won two FIFA World Player of the Year awards and a Ballon d'Or. He was renowned for his technical skills and creativity. On 16 January 2018, Ronaldinho confirmed his retirement from football through his brother/agent. He retired as one of just seven players to have won the FIFA World Cup, the UEFA Champions League and the Ballon d'Or.
Rafael van der Vaart
Known for his playmaking skills, he drew comparisons to Johan Cruyff. He was named Dutch Football Talent of the Year and became the first recipient of the Golden Boy Award while at the club. On 4 November 2018, having been struggling with recurring injuries, Van der Vaart announced he would retire from professional football.
Per Mertesacker
After being singled out for praise for his performances at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and with his contract at Bremen dwindling, Mertesacker transferred to Premier League club Arsenal and established himself as the first-choice central defender, becoming a mainstay there. He would transition into coaching following his retirement, taking charge of the Arsenal Academy.
Andrey Arshavin
Arshavin began his career at Zenit Saint Petersburg in 2000. During his time with Zenit, Arshavin was also named as the Russian Footballer of the Year. He was signed for English Premier League club Arsenal during the 2008–09 winter transfer window, becoming the most expensive player in Arsenal's history at the time, with a fee of £15 million. On 3 December 2018, Arshavin confirmed his retirement as a player.
Victor Valdes
Valdes spent most of his professional career with Barcelona in La Liga, having appeared in 535 official games for the club and won 21 major titles, notably six La Liga titles and three UEFA Champions League championships. He also won the Zamora Trophy a record five times. He currently holds the club records as goalkeeper with most appearances in the league and in official competition. After remaining without a club for the first half of the 2017–18 season, Valdes confirmed his official retirement in January 2018.
Michael Carrick
Carrick is best known for his 12-year playing career with Manchester United, whom he also captained. In winning the 2016 FA Cup, Carrick completed his collection of every domestic honour in the English game. In January 2018, Carrick accepted an offer to join the club's first-team coaching staff after his retirement at the end of the 2017–18 season.
Julio Cesar
Cesar spent seven years at Italian club Inter Milan, and was awarded the Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year title in both 2009 and 2010. On 22 April 2018, he started for Brazilian side Flamengo in a 2-0 win over América Mineiro on in his final action as a professional.
Robbie Keane
Keane is the current assistant coach of the Republic of Ireland national team. He served as captain of Ireland from March 2006 until his international retirement in August 2016 and announced his retirement from professional football in November 2018. In total, he scored 126 Premier League goals for six different clubs
