Cypriot footballer Matija Spoljaric retires at age 29

Matija Spoljaric, a 29-year-old professional footballer of Cypriot and Serbian descent, announced his retirement from competitive football on October 11, 2026. He shared the decision through a ten-minute retrospective video posted on his social media accounts, reflecting on his career journey and significant milestones.

Over the course of his professional career, Spoljaric recorded 175 appearances, 22 goals, and 13 assists. His club journey began in the youth academies of Apollon Limassol before moving to Spain to join Atletico Madrid's development teams and Toledo B. Upon returning to Cyprus, he played for several clubs including Apollon, Alki, AEK, Anorthosis, Aris, and most recently Karmiotissa, which he left this past summer. He notably won a league title and a Super Cup during his time with Aris.

On the international stage, Spoljaric represented Serbia at youth levels before committing to the Cyprus national team. He earned 15 caps for the senior Cyprus squad, making his debut on March 21, 2019. The athlete has now concluded his professional path to begin a new chapter in his life.