Former PSG captain Sakho retires from football

Former PSG defender Mamadou Sakho this week announced his retirement from professional football, having last been contracted to a club last year, for Georgian outfit Torpedo Kutaisi. It marks the end of a long and successful career for the PSG Academy graduate, who ended his career with 370 senior appearances for club and country, scoring 13 goals.

PSG legend Mamadou Sakho retired from football

The French defender broke through at Paris Saint-Germain in 2007, having come through the club’s academy, and soon became a stalwart at the heart of the club’s backline, as PSG (before the Qatari takeover) struggled to finish in European places. Sakho did however play a big role in leading PSG to a Coupe de France in 2010, in which he formed a stoic partnership at centre back with Zoumana Camara as the Parisians narrowly edged out Monaco 1-0 after extra time.

Next season, PSG were back in the final, but they lost out 1-0 to Lille, with a late goal from Ludovic Obraniak breaking Parisian hearts. By this time, Sakho was often captaining the Parisians in the absence of Claude Makélélé, and had established himself as one of the most promising young French players on the scene.

Sakho’s star continued to rise over the next years, as he was named young as the French footballer’s union’s Young Player of the Year in 2010-11, being elected into the team of the season that same year. His form continued to be excellent until Carlo Ancelotti’s arrival at PSG in 2012. The Italian coach was less fond of Sakho than his predecessor Antoine Kombouaré, and soon dropped him too the bench, amid allegations from Sporting director Leonardo of weight gain.

In a bizzare twist of fate, Sakho’s final ever PSG appearance was as goalkeeper, as he was substituted on to play in goal after PSG’s second choice keeper received a red card. He then moved, in the summer of 2013, to Premier League club Liverpool, with whom he was one Steven Gerrard slip away from winning the Premier League title in his very first season.

He went on be an integral part of Liverpool’s backline over the next couple of seasons, before eventually having a falling out with incoming manager Jurgen Klopp, eventually leading to a move to fellow Premier League side Crystal Palace. At Palace, he served a few seasons, becoming a fan favourite amongst supporters of the South London side, before eventually moving back to France, to Ligue Un side Montpellier in 2021.

Sakho’s career, which feels as though it has come to an abrupt end, was one full of success: he came through the academy to win Ligue Un and the Coupe de France with PSG, and managed twenty nine caps for France. Indeed, perhaps his most iconic game came for his national side, in the play-offs to qualify for the 2014 World Cup. France were trailing 2-0 against Ukraine going into the second leg at the Stade de France, only for Sakho, an unlikely goal scorer, to step up with not one but two vital goals as part of a 3-0 win that sent his country through to the finals in Brazil.

Sakho made his announcement regarding the retirement ahead of last monday's PSG defeat to Paris FC in the Coupe de France, and was warmly welcomed by the Parc des Prince crowd.