Naples mourns Dries Mertens: legend says farewell!

Naples mourns Dries Mertens: legend says farewell!

Dries Mertens, the Napoli legend, ended his active football career today, June 24, 2025. The 38-year-old announced this decision via his social media channels. His last game took place as part of the farewell game of his former teammate Marek Hamšík, who is 37 years old. SSC Napoli said goodbye to Mertens on Instagram with touching words: "Eternal emotions, an indissoluble bond. Thank you Cirù," which refers to his nickname "Ciro" that the fans gave him.

Mertens' connection to Naples is reflected not only in his sporting achievements, but also in his personal life: he gave his son the name “Ciro”. At the beginning of June he was made an honorary citizen by the city of Naples. There were emotional speeches and a standing ovation at the ceremony in City Hall. Mayor Manfredi described Mertens as “more Neapolitan than many who were born here.” In the event, the player expressed that Naples will always be his home for him.

Career highlights

Mertens joined Napoli from PSV Eindhoven in 2013 for €10 million and quickly became a key figure at the club. During his time in southern Italy, he overtook Marek Hamšík as the highest-scoring player in the club's history, scoring a total of 122 goals. With his involvement, Napoli won the 2013-14 Coppa Italia and the 2014 Supercoppa Italiana. In the season in which he overtook the record, Mertens scored 13 goals in 30 games, including six in seven European matches.

Although Mertens has been linked with top clubs such as Chelsea and Inter Milan in the past, he decided to stay at Napoli, where he has played since 2013. Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis was pleased with Mertens' commitment and described him as a "badass" and "street urchin". Given his age, De Laurentiis admitted that it was unusual to hand a 33-year-old striker a new contract, but expressed his desire to keep Mertens at the club after his playing career is over.

Transfer processes in football

Contract negotiations play a crucial role in the football landscape. Player transfers require several steps, including negotiating contracts between the player, new club and old club. The labor law aspects are particularly complex in German football. The transfer agreement regulates, among other things, the termination of the employment relationship and the payment of the transfer fee, while the players' resignations and releases must be submitted to the responsible leagues in a timely manner. Residence and work permits are required, especially for international transfers, which poses additional complexities.

Dries Mertens' career in Naples is remembered not only for his goals, but also for his deep roots in the city and its football club. There are many emotions associated with his decision to end his playing career, especially for the fans who have supported him over the years.

For more information about Dries Mertens' career, read coverage from oe24 and Sporting News. For insights into the labor law aspects of player changes, we recommend reading the article Linklaters.