A long and successful football career is over. 37-year-old Marcus Berg announced today that he is retiring due to back problems. IFK Göteborg writes on its website that the decision is made in "close consultation with our medical team", and that he will need surgery, and that "more football practice is no longer medically justifiable".

"I would have liked to finish at Blåvitt more on my terms, rather than my body stopping," he says on "Blåvitt's" website.

Played in Germany

Berg made his breakthrough at IFK Göteborg, where he played three Allsvenskan seasons (2005-07) before moving abroad. There were games in the Netherlands (Groningen), Germany (Hamburg) and Greece (Panathinaikos) before and in 2021 returned to IFK Göteborg after the European Championships.

"It's very emotional for me, a lot of thoughts that have been processed in the last few days. Blue and white means so much to me and has always meant a lot to my football career. That's why it was obvious to return home and that's why it's so hard when it now ends," he says.

To be covered in October

His last game was the derby win against Häcken on 27 August, when he scored twice in the 4–2 victory.

He will continue his rehab at the club and be close to the team during the season finale, writes IFK Göteborg - who will thank him in connection with the home game against Sirius on October 7.

"I'm not in a hurry with any decisions about the future. The focus for me personally right now has to be my health, to continue to be close and support the team with energy in the last weeks of the season. From a longer perspective, to have a normal everyday life together with my family and what happens next, we will see, he says, and adds:

"I am open to always helping Blue and White and if I can do it with my knowledge and experience, I will gladly do it in a way that suits the club.

Berg's merits include a Swedish Championship (2007), a top scorer in the European Under-21 Championship in 2009 and being named the Greek league's best player three times. He also scored 24 goals in 90 caps.