As Shinji Okazaki bid farewell to his professional football career, Leicester City legends Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez were there to send him off in style. Playing his final match for Sint-Truiden against OH Leuven in Belgium, Okazaki was given a guard of honour by both teams as he left the pitch after 50 minutes.
Before the game, the 38-year-old striker was shown video messages from former teammates and colleagues, including the likes of Vardy, Mahrez, Marc Albrighton, Wilfred Ndidi, Kelechi Iheanacho, Shinji Kagawa, Keisuke Honda, and Yuta Nagatomo. Known for his hard work and dedication on the pitch, Okazaki was instrumental in City’s title-winning campaign, supporting Vardy and Mahrez to shine.
Vardy expressed his excitement to see Okazaki again soon, while Mahrez thanked him for being an amazing player and colleague, without whom their success wouldn’t have been possible. Ndidi, Albrighton, and Iheanacho all wished Okazaki well in his future endeavors, reminiscing about the good times they shared on and off the pitch.
As Okazaki wraps up his 20-year career in the game, his former teammates and friends all came together to celebrate his contributions and wish him the best in his next chapter.
