In a surprise decision, Tunisian international defender Yassine Meriah, aged 33, announced his retirement from football, thus bringing to an end a rich club career and with the national team, during which he earned 95 international caps with the senior national team.
In a post shared on his Instagram account, Meriah explained that his decision came after long contemplation, due to knee pain he has been suffering from for two years.
Meriah stated that he had tried, as much as possible, to continue his career despite the pain, but that the moment had now come to end his athletic career, noting that his decision was motivated by health reasons.
The former international also expressed hope that he had built an honorable career and had spared no effort in service to the clubs he had played for.
Yassine Meriah had recently joined Club Africain as a free agent, after the end of his spell with Espérance Sportive de Tunis.
Meriah’s career is among the most notable Tunisian defensive trajectories in recent years. He notably played for CS Sfaxien, Olympiakos in Greece, Kasımpaşa and Çaykur Rizespor in Turkey, Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates, as well as Espérance Sportive de Tunis, before joining Club Africain.
He also was part of the Tunisian national team during the 2018 World Cup in Russia and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, as well as during several editions of the Africa Cup of Nations.
With this announcement, Yassine Meriah brings an end to his football career after several years of presence within the national team and with Tunisian and foreign clubs.
