Divock Origi: Liverpool cult hero announces retirement

Former Belgium international and Liverpool cult hero Divock Origi has officially announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 31. 

The veteran striker, who last played for Serie A club AC Milan before terminating his contract, brought the curtain down on a 14-year senior career by sharing an emotional, faith-driven statement across his social media platforms on Monday, June 8.

"My purpose in the game is fulfilled. I lived out my childhood dreams, played on the biggest stages, won the biggest trophies. Grateful to God for all of it," Origi wrote. 

Reflecting on a journey that saw him accumulate 32 senior international caps and score 3 goals for the Belgium national team, including a memorable winner against Russia at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, the forward added: 

“To all my fans, the clubs, my teammates and my family: this will forever be ours. Thank you. The mission is complete. Now I step into my next calling."  

Origi will forever be remembered for his extraordinary penchant for scoring some of the most decisive goals in modern football history during his seven-year spell at Liverpool between 2015 and 2022. 

Over the course of 175 appearances and 41 goals for the Merseyside club, the Belgian specialised in the dramatic, notably netting a 96th-minute Merseyside derby winner against Everton and scoring a vital brace, including the iconic "corner taken quickly" routine, in a historic 4-0 comeback against Barcelona in the 2018/19 UEFA Champions League semi-finals. 

He subsequently sealed the club's sixth European crown by scoring in the 2019 Champions League Final against Tottenham Hotspur. 

A true man for the big occasion, Origi leaves the sport boasting a trophy cabinet that features the 2019/20 Premier League title, the 2021/22 FA Cup, the 2021/22 EFL Cup, the 2019 UEFA Super Cup, and the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup, forever cementing his status as an immortal figure in Anfield folklore.