Arsene Wenger Pays Glowing Tribute to Jack Wilshere After Former Arsenal Man Retired From Football

• Jack Wilshere made the announcement that he had decided to retire from playing professional football at the age of 30
• Wilshere's career was riddled with injuries in what many people say prevented the world from watching a star
• His former manager at Arsenal, Arsene Wenger, has labelled him as a brave soul who did not get a chance to show his full potential

Legendary manager Arsene Wenger has joined in on the growing list to send awesome messages to Jack Wilshere. Wilshere confirmed he has retired officially from football after an injury-plagued career.

Wenger, who is credited with introducing Wilshere to the world in 2008, described Wilshere as a brave player and wished him all the best.

The midfielder was at one time considered one of Europe's brightest prospects, but injuries prevented him from realising his true potential.

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In an interview with Sky Sports, the former Arsenal manager described Wilshere's retirement as sad for football.

Well, for me, it's a sad moment because Jack is an exceptional football player. He was brave, he was talented and he wasn't scared of anybody. This is why we thought he could start at a very young age. Straight away, he showed he could be the main player.

It was during the 2011/2012 season that Wilshere underlined his credentials as a future star by winning Arsenal's player of the season and the PFA Young Player of the season.

But after that season, Wilshere just showed glimpses of his talent, with injuries keeping him out of the squad. He left Arsenal at the same with Wenger, having won two FA Cups.

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He was an exceptional talent but didn't play enough games because of injury, and in the end, that is why he's had to stop. It's very difficult for a star like he was when you cannot play at your best anymore. That's difficult to swallow. This is why I think he's taken the right decision

He afterwards joined West Ham in an attempt to revive his career. He followed it up with Bournemouth and another spell with Danish club AGF before calling it quits.

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Sports Brief had previously reported that an iconic photo of ex-Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger during his playing days has caused a massive stir on social media.

The 72-year-old former French manager, who is currently serving as FIFA's Chief of Global Football Development, is best remembered for his time with Premier League side Arsenal, which spanned over two decades.

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However, before he moved into management, Wenger had a modest playing career, where he played for Mulhouse and Strasbourg.