Former Nigeria international Stephen Makinwa has announced his retirement from the game that brought him fame and fortune, according to Sam O&rsquo;Femi Olusetire, a journalist with <i>Sports Day </i>who is very close to the player.<br /><br />Now 31, the FC Ebedei product last turned out for Slovenian PrvaLiga club Gorica, for whom he netted 2 goals across all tournaments, including his strike in the Super Cup against Maribor last August.<br /><br />&ldquo;I am happy with all that God has done for me in football. It has been an eventful career for me, but I can&rsquo;t go on forever.<br /><br />&ldquo;I stopped playing football on March 31. Now I&rsquo;m thinking of something outside active football, like management, television analysis or scouting, but definitely not coaching,&rdquo; Makinwa told the newspaper based in Ikeja.<br /><br />Apart from a brief spell on loan at Larissa in Greece during the 2010 - 2011 season, Stephen Makinwa spent a large part of his career in Italy before his switch to China two years ago.<br /><br />He enjoyed relative success with Genoa, Atalanta and Palermo which led to his transfer to two - time Serie A champions Lazio in 2006.<br /><br />Photo Credit : bjbaxyfc.net<br /><br />