Cheikhou Kouyaté hangs up his boots at 36: 92 caps and a continental star with Senegal

Cheikhou Kouyaté has ended his professional football career. The former captain of the Senegal Lions, aged 36, announced his decision on Friday, October 9, 2026, in a message posted on his social media, reports Wiwsport. He leaves with 92 caps, four goals, and the memory of his country's first continental triumph.

Nearly twenty years at the highest level

Formed and then revealed in Belgium at Anderlecht, the midfielder then spent eight seasons in England, at West Ham, Crystal Palace, and Nottingham Forest, before finishing his journey at Amed SK, in Turkey, in 2025. With Senegal, his first appearance dates back to February 29, 2012, in Durban, in a friendly against South Africa; his last was on March 26, 2024, against Benin, for a 1-0 victory, still according to Wiwsport.

Between these two dates, he was one of the pillars of the Senegalese dressing room and the team's captain. In his farewell message, he places at the pinnacle of his career "the conquest of our first continental star": the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, won in Cameroon, the first major title in the history of the Lions.

A heart condition since birth

The player also shared a confidence in recent days that sheds light on the end of his club career. On Walf TV, in remarks relayed by SenePlus, he explained that he was born with a heart condition, which was monitored by all the English clubs he played for: "I have a condition, I was born with it." According to SenePlus, medical examinations sometimes reduced or blocked contract agreements: at Nottingham Forest, a two-year contract was reportedly reduced to a single season in 2022-2023, and at Leeds, the club doctor "did not want to take the risk." Neither the diagnosis nor the treatment was specified by the player.

After Nottingham Forest, Kouyaté experienced a long period without a club before his stint in Turkey. Despite this, he remained in the entourage of the national team, having joined the Lions' preparation under Pape Thiaw without an official role, indicates SenePlus.

A chapter of the 2021 generation is closing. The group that gave Senegal its first AFCON now has one more retiree, and one of those who wore the captain's armband during decisive moments. Kouyaté has not announced what he will do next.