Cheikhou Kouyate Retires After Lifelong Heart Condition Revelation
Cheikhou Kouyate has retired from professional football after doctors advised him to stop playing because of a heart condition he has lived with since birth.
The former Senegal international, who played in the Premier League for West Ham, Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest, revealed he had continued his career while undergoing regular cardiac monitoring and accepting personal responsibility for the risks involved.
Kouyate said each of his English clubs detected the issue during routine examinations, with tests carried out every six months. He signed documents making clear that any medical consequences would be his responsibility rather than the club’s.
Heart issue monitored throughout Premier League career
“I have had this heart problem from birth and I played with it,” Kouyate said.
He explained that medical checks repeatedly highlighted the same concern during his spells at West Ham, Palace and Forest, but he chose to keep playing. “The doctors always showed me the problem, but I accepted the responsibility. I signed the insurance papers saying that anything that happened to me would be my responsibility.”
Kouyate said the condition became particularly difficult in heat or at altitude. He described severe pain during and after matches, similar to a side stitch lasting around five minutes, followed by painful cramps after the final whistle which could take 24 hours to subside.
The midfielder kept the problem private because he feared being made to finish his career early. He said he did not tell his family or Senegal’s national-team medical staff.
Anderlecht move ended by medical advice
Anderlecht had approached Kouyate during the summer about playing for the Belgian club while beginning his coaching education. However, a medical examination brought the decisive recommendation that he should no longer continue as a player.
His next step is expected to be in coaching, with Anderlecht’s proposed pathway potentially offering his first route into the profession.
