Gaärsen brings illustrious career to an end

[Craitman]

Craitland national team captain and all-time FMF World Cup top scorer Freddie Gaärsen has announced his decision to retire this summer.

The 34-year-old is widely considered on of Micras' greatest ever footballers, with international and domestic honours, and goalscoring records very few could envy. Having played for his hometown club since its founding season in 2003 - barring a loan spell in Passas for half of 2007 - Gaärsen's 17 years with Craitland's most successful side Cherry Trees has seen him tally one of the strongest lists of honours in micronational football.

With six Craitish championship medals to his name, only long-term teammate, goalkeeper Kraig Johansen, can boast more League 1 titles than Gaärsen, who added his sixth King's Cup to the list just over a week ago in what was ultimately his final match as a professional. With a Passasian title from his time at Kingsland Mavericks added to Champions' League wins in two separate confederations (EMUFA and WMFA), an FMF Champions' League triumph, and even a sole Cities' Cup win, Gaärsen's club level trophy haul totals 17; an average of one per season.

As any Micrasian football fan can tell you, however, Gaärsen's influence stretches way past success with Cherry Trees; his international prowess is literally second-to-none. One of the key members of Craitland's celebrated "Golden Generation" which won four World Cups in the space of five years, Gaärsen's medal tally at Micras' most prestigious event is matched by just two other compatriots. As one of the planet's most feared strikers, his 45 World Cup goals stand head and shoulders above all others', and he is one of only two players to have played in all eleven finals tournaments since its creation in 2006.

Outside of the World Cup, the forward - who became captain of Craitland in 2015 - added the Treesian Memorial Cup and MicrOlympics gold in lesser tournament wins, and also led the team to its first Benacia Cup title last summer. That final for the WMFA's showpiece competition was simultaneously Gaärsen's last ever cap - his record 172nd - as his recent lack of playing time has meant no further call-ups during this year's qualifiers. The model professional chose to always remain available for Craitland, though, and has expressed no desire to be awarded a farewell cap without merit.

Gaärsen is also considered somewhat of a superstar on Micras as his status has often transcended that of the sport of his livelihood. His coming-out as homosexual in 2013 is seen as a major point of note towards acceptance across Micras, and his impact on the wider society was recently honoured with the naming of an asteroid in the Atos system by the Space Exploration and Settlement Agency.

The striker's retirement will have a lasting effect on Craitish and Micrasian football as a whole. Cherry Trees must now fill his vacated number ten jersey with an adequate suitor, the Craitish national side must find a new permanent captain and leader with the 2019 World Cup looming, and the Micrasian footballing community will now look to the future to see which new stars will take-on his mantle as the FMF's most prolific goalscorer.

From Micras to you; we thank you, Freddie!