Globetrotting former Japan attacker Daisuke Matsui, who spent eight years playing in France, announced his retirement Tuesday, calling time on his 24-year career at 42.
The trickster made his only World Cup appearance in 2010 in South Africa, where the Samurai Blue reached the round-of-16 for the first time overseas. Matsui set up Keisuke Honda's goal in Japan's 1-0 opening win over Cameroon.
"I'd like to teach dribbling (to the younger generations)," Matsui said in his announcement on Instagram, where he was joined by former Japan stars Yoshito Okubo and Honda, as well as Saori Yoshida, winner of three straight Olympic women's wrestling gold medals.
Matsui began his career at his hometown club, Kyoto Sanga, in 2000 before joining Le Mans in 2004. He spent time at Saint-Etienne, Grenoble and Dijon in the French Ligue 1.
The journeyman had spells with J-League clubs Jubilo Iwata and Yokohama FC, and spent time playing in Russia, Bulgaria, Poland and Vietnam.
Matsui left J-League third-tier Yokohama SCC, where he also played futsal, at the end of last year. He scored once in 31 appearances for Japan.
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