News Focus
- Josuha Guilavogui, 35, confirms he is hanging up his boots after a 16-year career
- The French midfielder left Leeds United last summer and has been without a club since
- He made over 400 appearances across Europe’s top leagues, scoring 22 goals
- Guilavogui earned seven caps for France and played in the Champions League
- The player shared an emotional farewell to football on his Instagram account
French midfielder Josuha Guilavogui has officially retired from professional football. The 35-year-old hangs up his boots following a lengthy spell as a free agent. He departed from Leeds United during the summer of 2024.
Guilavogui began his journey at the AS Saint-Étienne academy. He made his senior debut for the French side before moving abroad in 2013. That year, he signed for Atlético Madrid in Spain.
The defensive midfielder spent several seasons with VfL Wolfsburg in Germany. During his time with Die Wölfe, he featured in a Champions League quarter-final clash against Real Madrid. He later returned to France to join Girondins de Bordeaux in 2022.
Following his release from Wolfsburg, Guilavogui enjoyed a final spell in the Bundesliga with FSV Mainz 05. He then made his Premier League debut with Leeds United in 2024. Across his entire career, he made more than 400 appearances on the pitch, finding the net 22 times and providing 15 assists.
The former French international earned seven caps for his country. He shared a moving tribute to the sport on Instagram this week. He thanked football for allowing him to fulfil his father’s dream, which later became his own.
“You demand a lot, but you give so much more in return,” he wrote. “You will surely forget me, but I will never forget you.” Guilavogui follows other former professionals who have stepped away from the game this season.