Moroccan midfielder Samir Lagsir retires from football at 22

​Moroccan midfielder Samir Lagsir, a promising talent at Dutch club PEC Zwolle, has announced his shock retirement from professional football at just 22-years-old.

The decision comes after a long and painful battle with chronic knee injuries that repeatedly derailed his progress.

Lagsir explained that he reached a point where he had to put his health first. “I reached a point where I had to honestly ask myself: Is it responsible to continue pushing my body to its limits? Unfortunately, the answer was no,” he said in a moving statement.

He made the call after extensive discussions with the medical staff and his close circle, choosing to stop before causing further damage to his body. He is expected to finish the current season with PEC Zwolle before hanging up his boots for good.

His career has been marked by constant comebacks and setbacks. After a bright start in 2020, he suffered a serious injury in 2022, followed by another major setback in February 2023 that kept him out for more than two years. Despite returning this season and featuring as a substitute in three games, recurring physical problems ended his hopes of fully reviving his career.

In just 28 professional matches, Lagsir still managed to showcase his talent, scoring four goals, including a notable strike against Dutch giants PSV Eindhoven.

PEC Zwolle technical director Gerry Hamstra expressed his “great respect” for this brave decision, praising a player who “sacrificed everything” to reach the top level despite repeated obstacles.

In a touching gesture, the club pledged to support Lagsir in planning his post-football future, assuring him that “the doors of the club will always remain open to him.”
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