Former Senegal and Premier League midfielder Cheikhou Kouyaté has ended his professional career after a medical examination at Anderlecht.
The 36-year-old said he had lived with a heart problem since birth and continued playing even though doctors repeatedly flagged it. He said he underwent checks every six months in England, including at West Ham, Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest.
Kouyaté received an offer from Belgian club Anderlecht, where he began his career, over the summer. After a medical examination, however, doctors advised him to retire. He said matches in hot weather and at high altitude were especially difficult. Painful spasms could follow games but usually passed within about a day.
His last club was Turkey’s Amed. He joined in September 2025 and played eight matches over five months. Kouyaté made 291 Premier League appearances and played 92 times for Senegal, with whom he won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2022.