Former Gunner Santi Cazorla has announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 41.
The diminuitive Spaniard signed for Arsenal from Malaga, spent 6 years in North London between 2012 and 2018, and became a huge favourite with fans for his technical quality, and wonderful character.
Unfortunately, during that period he suffered a horrendous time with injury, with an ankle problem which resulted in massive infection, and Arsene Wenger – who had seen many of his players endure horrific problems themselves – called it the worst he’d ever seen.
Despite support from Arsenal, who extended his contract when he was sidelined, it looked as if his playing days were over. He returned to Spain, fought back from the injury, and enjoyed a third career spell at Villarreal – the club where he made his professional debut.
After that he played in Qatar, before an emotional homecoming to Real Oviedo, his first club and the team he grew up supporting. He helped them secure promotion to La Liga, but was a bit part player last season in a campaign which saw them relegated back to the Segunda Division.
For Arsenal, Santi played 180 games, scoring 29 goals and providing 44 assists. His free kick in the 2014 FA Cup final helped spark a comeback against Hull to help us end a 9 year trophy drought, and everyone will have their own favourite Cazorla moment.
In 2019 he spoke about his time playing under Wenger, and in North London, saying, “I spent six wonderful years with him, he trusted me from the first minute.
“It hurt me not to be able to say goodbye to a stadium that made me fall in love.”
He has a close relationship with Mikel Arteta, so perhaps there’ll be a chance for him to return as a guest at the very least, while many have speculated about the possibility of him joining his former teammate as part of the coaching staff.
> [Arteta interviews Cazorla for AS: awesomeness ensues](https://arseblog.news/2012/10/arteta-interviews-cazorla-for-as-awesomeness-ensues/)
Anyway, wishing a fantastic player – and a guy who wins plaudits even from opposition fans because of what a great guy he is – the very best for his retirement, and good luck with whatever comes next, wherever it is.
Feel free to chip in with your favourite Santi Cazorla moment in the comments!
#### Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on the unconventional greatness of Santi Cazorla (from the Fozcast)
_“He defies everything that you think makes a footballer. You’re either technically unbelievable and you can be physically not as good; or you’re technically not as good and you have to be an athlete._
_“He was slow, tiny, not strong, but technically the stuff he used to do was mind-blowing._
_“He’d take corners with his left foot and then his right foot in the same game. Free kicks, penalties. In big moments, he’d go, ‘Yeah, I’m going left foot’._
_“And you go, ‘Santi?!, he’s like, ‘Nah, left foot’s better this week!’_
_“I’m like, ‘What? Better this week? Left foot’s better this week?!’ Imagine._
_“That’s what he was like with his feet. Like, corners, both feet. And just, you couldn’t get near him._
_“If we did any sort of testing, he was shambolic. Strength, speed, jumping, anything. It’s like, ‘How are you \[a footballer\]? You shouldn’t even be on the same field’._
_“You’re not an athlete. You’re not even close to being an athlete. But technically, the touch, the awareness, just knowing where players are …you couldn’t get near him.”_