Former Belgium and Napoli forward Dries Mertens has officially announced his retirement from professional football at 38.
In a heartfelt video on social media, Mertens confirmed his decision to step away from the game, while revealing he will play one final exhibition match — a tribute organised by his former Napoli teammate, Marek Hamsik, in July.
“I’ll retire from football but I’ll wear my boots one last time for you,” Mertens said in the announcement.
Mertens began his senior career with FC Utrecht in 2009 before moving to PSV Eindhoven, where he played between 2011 and 2013. His greatest impact came at Napoli, where he became the club’s all-time leading scorer with 148 goals in 397 appearances between 2013 and 2022.
He rounded off his illustrious career with two successful seasons at Turkish giants Galatasaray, contributing both in the domestic league and European competitions.
Internationally, Mertens was a key part of Belgium’s golden generation, earning 109 caps and scoring 21 goals for the Red Devils.
