Former Arsenal fan favourite, Yossi Benayoun, has retired from football after more than two decades playing the game.

LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 05: Yossi Benayoun of Arsenal celebrates scoring during the Barclays Premier League match between Arsenal and Norwich City at the Emirates Stadium on May 5, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 05: Yossi Benayoun of Arsenal celebrates scoring during the Barclays Premier League match between Arsenal and Norwich City at the Emirates Stadium on May 5, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)

Although Yossi Benayoun only spent a season on loan with Arsenal from Chelsea, he is a player that fans remember fondly…when they remember him at all, of course.

Arriving in the summer of 2011, he landed at the club a the same time as Gervinho, the Ox, Joel Campbell, Park Chu-Young, Andre Santos, Mikel Arteta, Carl Jenkinson and Per Mertesacker in what can only be described as the peak of the banter years.

(Back row, from L) Arsenal's Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, Per Mertesacker, Laurent Koscielny, Alex Song, Robin van Persie, (Back row, from L) Gervinho, Mikel Areta, Kieran Gibbs, Theo Walcott, Bacary Sagna and Yossi Benayoun pose for a team picture prior to the UEFA Champions League Group F first-leg match Dortmund vs Arsenal London on September 13, 2011 in the western German city of Dortmund. The match ended with a 1-1 draw. AFP PHOTO / PATRIK STOLLARZ
(Back row, from L) Arsenal’s Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, Per Mertesacker, Laurent Koscielny, Alex Song, Robin van Persie, (Back row, from L) Gervinho, Mikel Areta, Kieran Gibbs, Theo Walcott, Bacary Sagna and Yossi Benayoun pose for a team picture prior to the UEFA Champions League Group F first-leg match Dortmund vs Arsenal London on September 13, 2011 in the western German city of Dortmund. The match ended with a 1-1 draw. AFP PHOTO / PATRIK STOLLARZ

From that batch, Yossi stood out for his flair and attitude to the game. Although he only played in 25 games, he scored six and assisted three.

He never scored a goal against a big team in Arsenal colours nor did we win anything, but he’s a player I remember with fondness, even if I’m not entirely sure why when I look back. A rare light in the dark sea of sh*te we were swimming in at the time, perhaps.

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He also played one game for Arsenal’s u23s – against Norwich – where he scored one and assisted two in a 5-0 away win.

Benayoun’s career took him to Chelsea, Liverpool, Racing Santander, West Ham, Maccabi Haifa, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Beitar Jerusalem, Maccabi Petah Tikva, QPR, and Hapoel Beer Sheeva where he played a combined 545 games, scoring 97 and assisting 45.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbeVrOOBLN8

In all, he was an Israeli champion twice with Maccabi Haifa while he also won the Israeli Cup with the same side after winning the Europa League with Chelsea.

Now 38, he has decided to call it a day on his playing career.

Good luck with whatever you do next, Yossi!

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