Cologne, Germany - Cologne captain Umit Ozat an Saturday announced the end of his footballing career due to heart problems.

Ozat, 32, has not played since collapsing on the pitch during a Bundesliga match with SC Karlsruhe on August 29, 2008.

Medical examinations revealed myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle. He overcame the illness, but doctors in the United States and Germany advised him to quit high-performance sport because he could suffer more heart problems in the future if he continued.

"Unfortunately my football career is over. That is sad, especially at my young age," said Ozat in a statement on the Cologne website.

The defender Ozat came to Cologne in 2007 from Turkish side Fenerbahce. Last summer he became the first Turk to captain a Bundesliga team.

Several footballers have died from heart problems on the pitch in recent years, most famously Cameroon's Marc-Vivien Foe during a 2003 Confederations Cup match in France. (dpa)