Former Tottenham Hotspur player Adel Taarabt has announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 37. The Moroccan midfielder confirmed the news this week, bringing an end to a 20-year career that spanned nine clubs across Europe and the Middle East.
Daily Mail Sport reported Taarabt's decision. He most recently played for Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates top flight. His announcement comes as Tottenham Hotspur prepare for their next Premier League fixture, sitting 18th in the table with one point from three games. They face Everton at home on September 12th.
Adel Taarabt joined Tottenham Hotspur as a teenager from French side Lens. He made 15 appearances for the North London club between 2007 and 2010. His time at White Hart Lane was followed by a successful loan spell at Queens Park Rangers, which led to a permanent signing. Taarabt represented three English clubs during his career, with his most memorable period coming at QPR. He played more games for the West London side than for any other club in his career.
His spell at Tottenham was a formative period, but it was at QPR where he truly flourished. The attacking midfielder became central to Neil Warnock's side that won the Championship in 2011. That promotion-winning campaign saw Taarabt named Championship Player of the Season after scoring 19 goals and providing 21 assists. He helped QPR gain promotion to the Premier League that year.
Adel Taarabt left QPR permanently in 2015 to join Portuguese giants Benfica. He spent two seasons in Lisbon, making 164 appearances and scoring 34 goals. During his time at Benfica, he was deployed as a defensive midfielder in a notable positional shift. After his spell in Portugal, he had loan spells at Fulham and Italian powerhouse AC Milan. He was later loaned to Genoa from Benfica before moving to the Middle East.
The latter stages of his career saw him join Al-Nasr and Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. Taarabt represented Morocco 30 times at international level, scoring four goals for his country. His final club was Sharjah, where he played in the UAE top flight before deciding to retire.
In his retirement announcement, Taarabt reflected on his long career. "I knew this day would come, the time has come to close this chapter," he said. The midfielder added, "Football has been such a big part of my life for so many years."
His career was marked by flashes of brilliance and a unique playing style that made him a fan favourite at several clubs. While his time at Tottenham was brief, it formed part of a journey that took him across multiple leagues and countries.
The announcement comes at a challenging moment for Tottenham Hotspur in the current season. The club sits 18th in the Premier League with just one point from their opening three matches. Their recent form reads DLL, with zero wins so far. They have scored no goals and conceded five, giving them a -5 goal difference. This leaves them eight points behind early leaders Manchester City in the title race.
Manager Roberto De Zerbi is also dealing with injury concerns. Wilson Odobert and Xavi Simons are currently sidelined, which affects the squad's depth ahead of the Everton match. Fans can check the latest team news and availability on the club's injuries page. The full fixtures schedule shows Tottenham host Everton on September 12th in what will be an important early-season encounter. Everton currently sit 8th in the table.
Adel Taarabt's retirement marks the end of an era for a player whose talent shone brightest during that 2010-2011 Championship season. His final professional appearance came for Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.
