The remarkable body transformations of super-fit ex-footballers

Mesut Ozil has shocked football fans in recent weeks with a stunning body transformation after he posted videos and photos of his new physique on social media. He's not the only player to have bulked up after retirement.

The former Arsenal midfielder called it a day last year at the age of 34 and has not kept it secret that the gym is now his second home after leaving the game.

He is not the only player who has turned to weights, though, following the conclusion of his career. Former Liverpool and Chelsea striker Fernando Torres also switched his lean physique for a sizeable one, which certainly surprised many.

Perhaps one of the most infamous body transformations came from former Werder Bremen goalkeeper Tim Wiese when he switched the football pitch for the WWE.

Amongst these three players there are others, Mail Sport takes a look at former stars of the game who have put serious hours into the gym following retirement.

Mesut Ozil

We have to start here. Many people were astonished when Ozil first shared his new physique in a video displaying his intense workout sessions.

The 35-year-old, who won the World Cup with Germany in 2014, was always known as a slender and skillfull player during his career at the top level.

Ozil was mainly deployed as an attacking midfielder in his playing days, scoring 114 goals and providing 221 assists in 645 career appearances. He bamboozled defences with his eye for a pass and controlled games for fun during his time at Real Madrid and Arsenal.

Although they could not get near Ozil a lot of the time, defenders would have fancied themselves in a 50/50 tussle with the German. I'm not sure they would now.

Ozil's muscle-bound stature is a far cry from how he looked as a player.

Fernando Torres

This is a