Emanuel Adebayor, a former striker for Manchester City and Arsenal, has announced his retirement from football, ending a 22-year career.
After initially joining the Togolese club AC Semmasi in July 2021, the 39-year-old attacker made the decision to hang up his boots there.
Adebayor started his career at AC Merlan Lome before relocating to Europe in 1999 at the age of just 15 to play for the FC Metz youth team in France.
Adebayor announced his retirement from professional football on Instagram after 22 years of playing.
“My career as a professional athlete has been an extraordinary adventure, from the highs to the lows.
I want to express my gratitude to my fans for supporting me throughout.
I am extremely appreciative of everything and eager for what lies ahead,” he stated.
Before transferring to the Premier League in 2006 to play for Arsenal, Adebayor joined Monaco in 2003 and quickly established himself as one of the best young attackers in Europe.
Later, before moving on to Istanbul Basaksehir, Kayserispor, Olimpia Asuncion, and AC Semmasi, he played for Manchester City, Real Madrid, Tottenham, and Crystal Palace.
Adebayor had a dazzling career, appearing in 593 games and scoring 207 goals.
The five-time Togolese Footballer of the Year kept his post-retirement plans a secret, so it’s unclear whether he’ll still be involved in the sport.
