Former Japanese international, Okazaki to retire at the end of the season

Shinji Okazaki, an ex-Japan forward who was part of the Leicester City team that defied the odds to win the Premier League title in 2016, announced on Monday that he will retire at the end of the season.

Okazaki joined Leicester in 2015 and played an important role in their title-winning season, making 36 Premier League appearances and scoring five goals.

The 38-year-old was also one of the most prolific players for the Japanese national team, scoring 50 goals in 119 appearances to rank third all-time.

He represented Japan in three World Cups and scored three goals to lead the Samurai Blue to victory in the 2011 Asian Cup.

"I have decided to retire at the end of this season," Okazaki, who currently plays for Belgium's Sint-Truiden, wrote on Instagram.

"I have given my all as a footballer up to now, but when I realised that my body was falling apart I naturally felt I had reached my limits."

SportsLigue