According to a report by the London Evening Standard on Thursday, November 5, 2026, former Arsenal goalkeeper David Ospina has officially announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 38, bringing an end to a career that lasted more than two decades.

The Colombian goalkeeper confirmed his decision on Wednesday through a message shared on his social media account. In his statement, Ospina looked back on his time in football and expressed gratitude for the opportunities, experiences and achievements he enjoyed throughout his career.

“I say to football, thank you! I will not give it up… but I am grateful! It has been a wonderful journey! From now on, I will go wherever my smile takes me,” he wrote.

Ospina’s career took him through several countries, including France, England, Italy and Saudi Arabia. During those years, he established himself as an experienced goalkeeper and represented a number of clubs in different competitions. He made more than 600 appearances at club and international level, including 131 appearances for the Colombian national team.

His international record places him among Colombia’s most-capped players. He shares the national appearance record with former Real Madrid and Bayern Munich midfielder James Rodriguez, highlighting the important role he played in Colombian football over the years.

Ospina began his European career with French club Nice, where he spent six years between 2008 and 2014. His performances attracted attention from Arsenal, who signed him in 2014. He remained at the Emirates Stadium for four seasons, although he was often the second-choice goalkeeper behind Petr Cech.

During his time with Arsenal, Ospina was part of the squad that enjoyed success in domestic cup competitions. Despite not always being the club’s first-choice goalkeeper, he contributed to the team during his time in north London.

After leaving Arsenal in 2018, he moved to Italy to join Napoli. He spent four years with the club before making another career move in 2022, this time to Saudi Arabia, where he signed for Al-Nassr.

His spell with the Saudi club lasted until 2024, after which he joined Mexican side Atlante.

Although Ospina has not announced what he intends to do next, his retirement message suggests that he is ready to begin a new chapter away from professional football. His departure marks the end of a long career across several leagues and a significant period of service to the Colombian national team.