Kouyate retires at 36, reveals heart condition he hid from family

📰 Cheikhou Kouyate, who spent the best part of a decade in the Premier League, has retired at 36 and revealed a congenital heart condition for the first time. 📌 Key points 🫀 Kouyate says he played his whole career with a heart condition from birth. 🤫 He kept it from his family and Senegal's team doctors. 🏥 A medical at Anderlecht led to advice to stop playing. ⚒️ He played for West Ham, Palace and Forest in the Premier League. 🎓 He is expected to begin a coaching career at Anderlecht. 📝 What happened 🎙️ In an interview with Senegalese channel Walf TV, Kouyate said he had suffered from the heart problem since birth and played with it. He added that he never told his family, nor the national team doctors. 🌡️ He explained that at altitude or in the heat it hurt badly during and after games, like a side stitch lasting around five minutes. In England his clubs monitored him every six months, and he signed waivers absolving them of responsibility for any incident on the pitch. 🇧🇪 This summer his former club Anderlecht offered him a playing contract and a coaching role. But after a medical, doctors advised him to stop playing, and he chose to retire. ⚒️ Kouyate left Anderlecht for West Ham in 2014 and went on to play for Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest. His final club was Amed SK in Turkey. 📊 By the numbers • Age at retirement: 36 • Premier League clubs: 3 (West Ham, Palace, Forest) • Heart check-ups in England: every six months • International honour: 2021 Africa Cup of Nations winner 🔭 Why it matters That a dependable midfielder and centre-back played for years while hiding a heart condition raises questions about player health monitoring and disclosure. He is now expected to start a new chapter as a coach at Anderlecht.