Big Sports Stars Who Retired in 2022 From Federer, Vettel To Higuain

• Tennis great Roger Federer headlines a list of top stars who retired this year
• Federer played his last professional match alongside his rival Rafael Nadal at the Rod Laver Cup
• Sebastian Vettel also left the track after falling off the paces in recent years despite early successes in his career

2022 will go down as one of the most remarkable years in sports history. The first time that the World Cup was held in the months of November and December saw Lionel Messi 'complete football' by winning the one trophy he didn't have in his collection.

Apart from the extreme high-octane moments, there were also a few teary moments as legends of the game called it quits after dominating for ages.

Sports Brief takes a look at the top sports stars who retired in 2022.

1. Roger Federer

James Maddison in awe of Messi after watching him live vs Croatia

Football

The Babe Ruth of Tennis. Federer elevated the standards of tennis alongside Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.

During his last professional game at the Rod Laver Cup, he teamed up with Nadal with the two greats shedding tears thereafter.

Federer is currently third in the number of Grand Slam titles won behind Djokovic and Nadal. Apart from his ingenuity on the court, Feder retired with a fat paycheck accumulated from his business acumen.

2. Sebastian Vettel

The German Formula 1 driver dominated the sport between 2010 to 2013 where he won four consecutive titles. He exited the stage having been the youngest-ever driver to win a championship title after he broke Lewis Hamilton's record in 2010.

"The decision to retire has been a difficult one for me to take, and I have spent a lot of time thinking about it," he posted on his Instagram account at that time.

Fede Valverde's wife in trouble for calling Lionel Messi the GOAT

Football

He retired while racing for Aston Martin where he finished 12th in his 15th and final season.

3. Gonzalo Higuain

Higuain's name was a major talking point in the buildup of this year's World Cup final. The widely travelled striker is blamed for Argentina's loss in the 2014 World Cup final.

Whether he has been forgiven or not, El Pipita will remain one of the most accomplished strikers in history. His 36-goal historic season in the Serie A with Napoli is yet to be broken.

His last stop was with Inter Miami in the Major League Soccer.

4. Adebayo Akinfenwa

A legend in his own right. Considered the heaviest and strongest football player, Akinfenwa decided to give up on his football career and follow a different path.

He left football having made a name for himself as the strongest man in his game due to his bulky nature. He played as a striker for many clubs and his last bow came at Wycombe Wanderers, where they lost the League One Play-Off match against Sunderland.

France coach praises Messi but plans to stop him and Argentina

Football

The 40-year-old striker built a name for himself with his charming interviews and personality. He is most famously remembered for the interview he did after securing championship football for the first time in 2020.

5. Ashleigh Barty

The surprise package of all. Barty shocked everyone when she announced her retirement at just 26 years in March. Barty was at that time the top-ranked women's player.

"I’m fulfilled; I’m happy; and I know how much work it takes to bring the best out of yourself, I’ve said it to my team multiple times — it’s just, I don’t have that in me anymore. I don’t have the physical drive, the emotional want and everything it takes to challenge yourself at the very top level anymore," as quoted by The Washington Post.

Disclaimer: Serena Williams is not included in this list because she rescinded her decision to retire during a press conference in San Francisco. She had earlier indicated that she will retire after this year's US Open. Chase for title number 24 is still on!

Honourable mentions to John Obi-Mikel, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Jack Wilshere.