Ex Arsenal, Real Madrid striker Emmanuel Adebayor announces retirement

Togo legend, Emmanuel Adebayor, has closed the chapter on his football career after announcing his retirement on Monday, March 20, 2023, at age 39.

The former Real Madrid, Arsenal, and Manchester City man announced in an Instagram post as he is set to embark on a new adventure.

In his post, he stated that his career has come to an incredible end after a series of highs and lows.

"SEA, from the highs to the lows, my career as a professional athlete has been an incredible journey," he wrote on Instagram.

"Thank you to my fans for being there every step of the way. I'm feeling so grateful for everything and excited for what's to come!"

He played for 12 different clubs in his 22-year professional career. The major highlight of his career was his time at Arsenal, Manchester City, Real Madrid, and Tottenham.

At the twilight of his career, he played for Istanbul Basaksehir, Kayserispor, and Olimpia Asuncion before drawing the curtains at the Togolese side AC Semmasi.

Adebayor scored 97 goals in 242 Premier League appearances. He is Togo's all-time top scorer with 32 goals in 85 caps.

In total, he scored 207 goals in 593 career appearances. He won Copa Del Ray while at Real Madrid.

Regarding individual accolades, he won the BBC African Footballer of the Year and African Footballer of the Year in 2007 and 2008, respectively.

EE/KPE