CLASS OF 2023

12月 27, 2023

Their names will become legends, their numbers will be forever cherished. We hope to pay tribute to the retiring players of 2023 through this jersey collection.

Cesc Fàbregas

Grown from Arsenal, Cesc Fàbregas dominated the midfield in Premier League before making a "homecoming" to join Barcelona, and later returning to England to join Arsenal's fierce rivals, Chelsea. Although he won numerous trophies, it is unfortunate that he never received unwavering support from a loyal fan base. However, as a member of the 2010 World Cup Champion, there is no doubt about his abilities.

Danny Drinkwater

Compared to the aforementioned Fàbregas, Drinkwater owes much of his early career fame to his name. He grew up from Manchester United's youth team but left before making appearances for the first team. He then had played for various clubs before finally finding his place at the miraculous team, Leicester City. As a key midfielder, Drinkwater played an indispensable role in the legendary 2015/16 Premier League Champion squad.

Eden Hazard

During his time at Chelsea, Hazard reached the pinnacle of his career, often single-handedly changing the game. Throughout his seven seasons with “the Blues", he helped the team win six trophies, including two Premier League champions. Hazard himself was named the PFA Player of the Year for the 2014/15 season and scored the only goal in the 2018 FA Cup final, leading Chelsea to victory.

Mana Iwabuchi

Mana Iwabuchi started her career with NTV Beleza in Japan. In 2012, she joined Hoffenheim to embark on her European journey. She has since played for Bayern Munich, INAC Kobe Leonessa, Aston Villa, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur. In her international career, she has represented Japan 89 times, scoring 36 goals, and won the 2011 FIFA Women‘s World Cup.

Gianluigi Buffon

As a key member of 2006 FIFA World Cup Champion, Buffon is regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers in modern football history. This year, Buffon finally decided to hang up his gloves at his beloved boyhood club, Parma.

David Silva

David Silva, 2010 FIFA World Cup champion and Manchester City legend suffered a cruciate ligament injury during pre-season training with Real Sociedad, leading to the announcement of the end of his 19-year professional career at the age of 37. In 2012 EURO Final, Silva scored the opening goal and ultimately helped Spain achieve a historic three consecutive tournament victories.

Mesut Özil

José Mourinho: “Özil is unique. There is no copy of him, not even a bad copy.” Mesut Özil, a key player in the 2014 World Cup Champion squad, is known for his elegant style of play. He has garnered attention and generated discussions in various aspects, including his attitude on the field, national identity, and even political involvement, making him truly the “Unique One.”

Gareth Bale

Starting from Southampton, rising at Tottenham, reaching the top at Real Madrid, and bidding farewell in Los Angeles. ‘Crucial’,the word that perfectly describes Bale's career. From the header and bicycle kick in the Champions League finals, Bale still perform in his final moments to help LAFC secure their first MLS Cup.

Giorgio Chiellini

Giorgio Chiellini, hailed as a top-class centre back of his generation, spent the majority of his playing career at Juventus. As the representative of Italy's solid defence, Chiellini led Italy to win the 2020 EURO as captain, undoubtedly a career highlight.

Zlatan Ibrahimović

'I came like a king, I left like a legend' No player embodies this statement more than Zlatan Ibrahimović. His ultimate return to AC Milan solidified his status as an iconic figure of the club.

Shunsuke Nakamura

Shunsuke Nakamura recently completed his retirement testimonial match. Beyond his honours, Shunsuke is renowned for his precision in penalty kicks, often delivering match-winning performances.

Below are some of other famous players retiring in 2023

Diego Godin
Joao Miranda
Joaquin
Theo Walcott
Emmanuel Adebayor
Bojan Kirkic
Fernando Llorente
Lucas Leiva

佢哋嘅名字將成為傳奇，佢哋嘅號碼將永遠被懷念。回顧2023年退役球員不乏名將，希望用呢一系列球衣向佢哋致敬。

法比加斯

出道於阿仙奴，法比加斯不足二十歲就已經喺英超統治中場。及後「愛回家」回歸巴塞，以及返回英格蘭但加盟槍手同市宿敵嘅車路士，雖然成功攞到不少獎盃，但遺憾始終未能得到一班球會死忠球迷支持。不過呢位2010世界盃冠軍成員，巔峰實力絕對不容置疑。

真禾特

與前面法比加斯相比，真禾特生涯之初嘅知名度可謂全賴佢嘅名字 (大家見字__喇）。出身曼聯青訓系統，不過並未為一隊上陣就已經離隊他投，輾轉效力唔同球隊，終於喺神奇球隊李斯特城找到自己位置。2015/16英超冠軍傳奇，真禾特作為球隊中場主力功不可沒。

夏薩特

大名鼎鼎嘅「夏世三」夏薩特，在車路士時期是球員生涯的巔峰時刻，經常能憑藉一己之力改變戰局。效力「藍戰士」七季期間，為球隊贏得包括兩次英超在內的六個錦標，自己亦當選2014/15賽季的PFA最佳球員以及在2018年的足總盃決賽攻入全場唯一入球，協助車路士奪冠而回。

岩渕真奈

30歲的岩渕真奈出身於日視美人隊，2012年加盟賀芬咸女足開始到歐洲闖天下，之後輾轉效力過拜仁慕尼黑女足、INAC神戶雌獅、阿士東維拉、阿仙奴女足及熱刺女足。國際賽方面，她曾代表日本上陣89次，攻入36球，奪得2011年女子世界盃。

保方

「保方保方，保住後方」呢句由細聽到大，保方可以話係球壇入面著名長青樹。作為2006年世界盃冠軍，保方被認為係現代足球史上最偉大的門將之一。最堅硬嘅盾都有生銹一日，保方今年終於決定喺母會帕爾馬高掛手套。