🎥 Mertens in tears with Ciro and Lion King 🦁 Retirement ahead? 😢 | OneFootball

Yesterday the Turkish Süper Lig came to an end: Galatasaray, already champions for weeks, finished a triumphant season with a 2-0 victory over Istanbul Başakşehir, with two former Napoli players, Dries Mertens and Victor Osimhen, scoring the goals.

The most important moment of the match came in the 79th minute, when Mertens was substituted, enjoying the applause of the Ali Semi Yen stadium for the last time.

The player was immediately lifted in triumph by his teammates, amid ovations and chants from the stadium, while the announcer called him a legend and used the nickname the Belgian earned during his time at Napoli—which later became his son's name—"Ciro" Mertens.

Speaking of his son Ciro, the "Lion King"-style welcome he received from the stadium will go down in history.

After the match, during the celebration dedicated to him at Ali Semi Yen together with his wife and son, Mertens could not hold back his tears.

The club’s farewell message was also moving: "Thank you, Dries. Some goodbyes cannot be put into words. When he arrived three years ago, Dries Mertens was not just a player, but a true leader, a big brother, an example. He was the man who changed games with his courage, his intelligence, and his self-confidence. He took responsibility in difficult moments, guided the young players, and always gave everything for the team. He was happiest when motivating even from the sidelines."

"Dries touched our hearts even off the pitch with his modesty, sincerity, and his smile. He was one of those who most believed in unity and solidarity, and this made Galatasaray more than a club. Now it’s time to part ways. But your name, your memories, your leadership, your humanity have already been written in golden letters in the history of this jersey, Dries. Thank you for everything, we are so happy that you became one of us."

Mertens opened the scoring in the match (which also celebrated the retirement of Galatasaray captain Fernando Muslera, a club legend with 15 years of service) with a penalty in the 17th minute.

Now it remains to be seen what the future holds for the Belgian, with retirement from professional football being the most likely scenario. The player has even stated that he wants to live in Naples after he leaves football.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.

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