ADEL TAARABT has announced his retirement from football at the age of 37, with fans hailing the former QPR star as a player the streets will never forget.
The Moroccan midfielder has called time on a career which saw him play for the likes of Tottenham, QPR, Fulham, AC Milan and Benfica.
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Taarabt confirmed his decision in an emotional Instagram post, admitting he always knew the day would eventually come.
He wrote: “I knew this day would come, the time has come to close this chapter.
“Football has been such a big part of my life for so many years. It gave me amazing memories, let me meet incredible people and live moments I will never forget.
“I just want to say thank you to every club I played for, every coach, every teammate, every member of staff and of course every supporter who showed me love along the way.”
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Taarabt began his career at Lens before making the move to England as a teenager and joining Tottenham in 2007.
But it was at QPR where he truly established himself as a cult hero.
His 2010-11 Championship campaign remains the stuff of legend, with Taarabt scoring 19 goals and helping QPR win promotion to the Premier League.
His dazzling dribbling, outrageous skills and fearless approach made him a firm favourite at Loftus Road.
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Saturday 12 September
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He later returned to the Premier League with QPR and also had a spell at Fulham before moving abroad.
Taarabt went on to represent AC Milan, Benfica and Genoa before continuing his career in the United Arab Emirates with Al-Nasr and Sharjah.
His career also included 30 appearances for Morocco.
And while he may not have reached the heights many predicted when he burst onto the scene, Taarabt left an unforgettable mark wherever his talent was allowed to shine.
His spectacular QPR form in particular has ensured his place among football‘s ultimate cult heroes, with his name regularly appearing on lists of players fans insist the “streets will never forget”.
Taarabt also paid tribute to every club he represented throughout his career.
He added: “To every club I had the honour to represent, from Lens to Sharjah, thank you for being part of my story.
“Representing Morocco will always have a special place in my heart.”
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The former playmaker admitted his career had contained plenty of highs and lows but said he would not change any of it.
He wrote: “There were good moments, difficult moments, mistakes, great nights… everything.
“But that was my journey and I wouldn’t change it.
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“Alhamdulillah for everything.”
Taarabt’s retirement brings the curtain down on one of the more colourful careers of his generation.