http://www.uefa.com/competitions/UCL/news/kind=1/newsId=209931.html And from Barca site: Letter to the fans from Marc Overmars Dear club members, I would like to use this letter to announce my decision to leave the club, which has been like a home to me over the last few years. Playing here was always my dream as a child , and for four years I have been able to live that dream. My reason for hanging up my boots is that I can no longer play at the very highest level needed to be a Barca player. After a long period of reflection as to my future, I have reached the painful decision to retire from the professional game altogether. As a mark of respect towards this club and its members, I have also decided to forego the years contract which I still have with the club, as I feel this is only fair and correct on my part. I am convinced that the club is beginning a new and successful era and wish all my best for my teammates, the technical staff, the board and especially for you, the club members, who have always given me all your support, Marc Overmars Great man and footballer, we will miss you Marc!!! Good bye
yep, a sad day indeed. come to think of it, what he accomplished over his entire career is really quite distinguished. and what he has been able to do recently in spite of a career ending injury is also extremely remarkable! And still, at 31, he can run and dazzle with the best of em! To retire as a Barca player is also a sign of greatness! He could have easily jetted to Qatar and made some quick millions, but he chose to end on the highest of notes. I can only hope that his breed of wingers isn't getting extinct...Road Runner, God Speed!
very emotive letter, it was the most expensive signing in Barça's history but at least he said goodbye in a decent way.
I had demanded explanation in an another thread, but didn't the MO11 signing also include Emanuel Petit? So that's 2 players for 36 mil, not Marc alone.
Knee injury forces Overmars to retire MADRID, July 26 (Reuters) - Dutch international Marc Overmars announced his retirement from football on Monday, blaming the decision on persistent injury problems. Overmars: Dignified exit (TonyMarshall/Empics) 'My footballing future ends now,' the 31-year-old winger told a news conference at Barcelona where he has played since July 2000. 'My knee is causing too many problems and I can't play at the level I would wish.' Overmars became the most expensive Dutch player of all time and the most expensive player in Barcelona history when he signed from Arsenal in July 2000 for a fee of around 36 million euros - a deal which also included his Arsenal team mate Emmanuel Petit. Overmars' task was to replace Luis Figo, the Portuguese winger who had been poached by Real Madrid, but he failed to produce the sort of eye-catching attacking form he regularly showed at Arsenal and Barcelona told him at the end of last season that he could leave the club. Overmars said on Monday he would leave without recompense of the one year remaining on his contract. Barcelona president Joan Laporta thanked him for that gesture, saying: 'It's an act of sincerity and respect for the club. 'It's a mark of great dignity for him to say he can no longer player at the level Barcelona require and to renounce his contract.' POPULAR PLAYER Overmars played for the Netherlands at Euro 2004 in Portugal in June but opted against looking for a new club for the forthcoming season, following Barcelona's decision to let him go. The popular player made his Dutch international debut against Turkey in February 1993 and represented his country 86 times, making him the third highest-capped Dutch player after Frank de Boer (112 caps) and Edwin van der Sar (89). He scored 17 goals for his country. He started his career at Go Ahead Eagles before playing for Willem II, Ajax, Arsenal and Barcelona and retires having won the Champions League with Ajax in 1995, three Dutch titles with Ajax, one English title with Arsenal and a string of other honours. They included a 1998 FA Cup final win with Arsenal in which he scored in a 2-0 victory against Newcastle United as Arsenal completed an English league and cup double. The arrival of Overmars at Barcelona in 2000 coincided with a lean spell for the club and he could not help the Catalans to a single major title in his four years in Spain. He scored eight league goals in 31 appearances in a first season that was acceptable rather than spectacular and that proved to be his most successful campaign. He failed to score in 20 league games the following season, scored six in 26 games in 2002-03 and managed one league goal in 20 games last term. Overmars becomes the fifth Dutch player to leave Barcelona since the end of last season, following the departures of Patrick Kluivert, Michael Reiziger, Philip Cocu and Edgar Davids.
A class player... really sad to see one of the gems of the game go... my heart goes out to the diehard barca fans... soon (2-3 years) I will feel the same pain u now feel when Giggs retires...
Not to be a spoiler, but I never really got too attached to Overmars and really dont see the honor in going out this way as opposed to going to Qatar for a couple of years and earning several million easy dollars. Either marc peaked during his spell at Arsenal or was unable to cope well with the environment in Barca, but he never came anywhere close to living up to potential and towards the end of his career he was almost sad to watch as the speed and agility which once allowed him to run at defenders with ease had completely disappeared from his game. In regards to retiring a Barca player being an honorable way to go out, I don't buy it. Do I think anything less of Pep for playing in Qatar...not really, and he has only gone further to take care of his and his family's financial future. If some Arab billionaire is willing to shell out for over the hill players, why do we hold it against them for taking the money? Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the letter, and I can remember the time well when he arrived, but I do think his purchase, like the rest of the players bought that year (Petit, Geovanni, Rochembek, Alfonso), was a gut reaction to the loss of Figo and didn't add much to the team's financial or sporting situation.
Do you watch the Qatar league mike? I'm gonna assume you don't. The drop in quality and level is so huge, so humungous, that it's really almost degrading. I wish that a great player like Batigol would never have to participate in a game where you have a rich guy's face printed on your shirt, where it takes 20 minutes for a keeper's substitute to come in after a red card, and where numbers on the shirt had to be put on using tape. I will never think less of Pep for playing in Qatar, but i sure as hell am gonna think more of Overmars for not playing there. Going out as a Barca player has its special charm, i don't see how it cannot.
Thank you Marc, for helping Arsenal to the "Double" in '98.We dont have any more exicting wingers like you playing down the arsenal wings anymore.U RULE!!! LONG LIVE MARC
hate 2 c him go, but oh well... i liked him when he was in arsenal, and signing for barca made him the man(a bit too expensive man but still). at least he left with his head high, and barca didn't bother trying 2 cash in on him before the end...
Thanks for not leaving me as the only spoiler on this. I see nothing classy or sad about this. Overmaars was never a classy player for Barça, and perhaps, of all the foreigners I have seen here in 17 years, the least committed to the club, to Barcelona, to his teammates. He never assimilated, spoke terrible Spanish, was often caught off guard in press conferences not knowing where we were in the standings. On the field he could have an atrocious attitude, defended poorly and just gave up when his marker had his number. Crossed badly when he did get free, scored too few goals. And his webpage never ceased to criticize Barça when he was on the bench or injured. In a Dutch language round of questions he hammered Barça as completely disorganized, essentially blaming the club for his weak play here. He never lived up to his price, and never seemed particularly bothered about this fact. Pick any of Reiziger, Cocu, Hesp, even Bogarde or Zenden, all were more elegant and humble in declarations, connected with fans and teammates and more committed to the cause. I appreciate him not insisting on the pay for this year, but they say he is one of the richest Dutch players. So thanks, and good riddance.
I hear you Jeffrey, but I still think you're way too heavy handed with him, he might not be a dedicated player but still scored a couple of important goals.