Goodbye Big Fellah! The remarkable career of Manchester United star Marouane Fellaini

Marouane Fellaini has officially announced his retirement from professional football. The Belgian midfielder wrote a goodbye message on Instagram after a career spanning 18 years.

"What an incredible journey it has been! I am so grateful to have played the sport I love at the highest level," he wrote on Instagram.

"As I embark on this new chapter in my life, I look forward to new challenges, but be assured, I will continue to support the beautiful game in any way I can," Fellaini added.

It's hard not to know the name Marouane Fellaini if you've followed the Premier League over the last decade. The Belgian has left his mark on the league and the international scene, but not just because of his footballing skills. Here is the story of Marouane Fellaini's remarkable career.

Fellaini was born on 22 November 1987 in the Belgian town of Etterbeek. After playing in the youth teams of RSC Anderlecht and Sporting Charleroi, among others, he continued his career at Standard Liege, where he signed his first pro contract at just 17.

He made his professional debut for Standard in a European match against Steaua Bucharest.

Fellaini quickly became a mainstay at Standard and helped the Liège side win the league title in 2007/08.

Individually, Fellaini claimed the Ebony Shoe in 2008, a trophy for the best African or footballer of African descent in the Belgian league.

His excellent performances and incredible physical strength attracted interest from abroad, and the Premier League came knocking at Fellaini's door.

It was Everton who won the battle for Fellaini in early September 2008. According to Transfermarkt, the Toffees paid Standard €21.76 million (£18.6m, $23.5m US), a Belgian transfer record at the time.

During his five seasons at Goodison Park, Fellaini impressed and won Everton's Young Player of the Year award for the 2008/09 season, when he lost the FA Cup final.

Fellaini's time with the Toffees has not gone unnoticed, not only for his sporting exploits, but also for his eye-catching afro, which fans imitated wearing similar wigs.

On the pitch, Fellaini continued to perform well and was transferred to Manchester United in 2013 for an estimated fee of €32.40 million, according to Transfermarkt.

Fellaini enjoyed a trophy-laden spell at Old Trafford, including winning the Europa League in 2016/17 under José Mourinho.

After six seasons, 177 games and 22 goals for United, Fellaini left Manchester for China in 2019.

The midfielder signed a contract at Shandong Luneng Taishan, that paid €7.20 million to Manchester United, according to Transfermarkt.

It was another successful step in Fellaini's career, who picked up another three trophies in China and left the club at the start of 2024.

Over the course of his career, Fellaini established himself in the Belgian national team, representing his country at several major tournaments.

His most famous goal came against Japan at the 2018 World Cup, when Belgium equalised after trailing 0-2, and then clinched the match with a late winner.

In March 2019, Fellaini called it quits on his 12-year international career with Belgium, as reported by BBC Sport. In total, he made 87 appearances for the Red Devils (18 goals).

Fellaini saw his contract at Shandong Luneng Taishan expire at the beginning of January 2024 and did not immediately announce his future until he quit for good on Saturday 3 February of the same year. In this way, Belgian football is once again saying goodbye to one of the players of its golden generation.