Eliaquim Mangala has retired from professional football at the age of 35 and immediately joined the backroom staff at AS Saint-Étienne. The former France international ends a career that saw him become the world’s most expensive defender when he signed for Manchester City in 2014.
Mangala began his professional journey at Standard Liege in Belgium, where he made 99 appearances—more than at any other club—and won the domestic league and cup. A move to Porto followed in 2011, where he secured two Portuguese championships and two Super Cups before attracting attention from the Premier League.
His €45 million transfer to Manchester City set a world record fee for a defender at that time. However, injuries restricted his playing time at the Etihad Stadium. He spent spells on loan at Valencia and Everton whilst also featuring for City in their successful domestic campaigns. During his four years in Manchester, he collected a Premier League title and two FA Cup winners’ medals.
After departing City in 2018, the centre-back had spells at Saint-Étienne, Portuguese side Estoril, and Oriente P. in Bolivia. He earned eight caps for France but never established himself as a regular in the national team setup. Across his entire career, Mangala made 387 appearances and won league titles in three different countries.
The defender now transitions into coaching, joining Saint-Étienne’s backroom team under newly-appointed manager Ian Cathro. The French club currently competes in Ligue 2 following relegation from the top flight last season.