Ex-Premier League star reveals secret health battle as he announces retirement

Ex-Premier League star Cheikhou Kouyate has revealed that he spent years battling a heart condition. Kouyate, who recently announced his retirement, kept the problem a secret throughout his playing career which came to an end this summer.

The former West Ham, Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest star was set to rejoin Belgian club Anderlecht before a medical derailed the move. Anderlecht's doctor asked Kouyate, 36, to rethink his plans and hang up his boots in light of the condition which he even kept hidden from his loved ones.

"I suffered from this heart problem since birth. I played with it," Kouyate told Senegalese outlet Walfadjri TV. "In England, it was monitored every six months.

"I had medical check-ups at West Ham, Crystal Palace, and Nottingham Forest. Every time I had the tests, the problem reappeared.

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"The doctors always pointed out the problem to me, but I took responsibility myself. I signed the insurance papers stating that anything that might happen to me would be my responsibility.

"Anderlecht called me [in the summer] to play there and also to start training as a coach. But after the medical examination, the doctor asked me to stop playing football."

The 92-time Senegal international added: "The problem is at high altitude. If I play in the heat, it hurts terribly, during and after matches.

"It feels like a side stitch, for about five minutes, and then it goes away. When it happens, after the match, I get painful cramps. After 24 hours, it stops.

"I never said anything. I didn't want to be forced to stop early. I never told my family, not even the national team doctors. They didn't know about my problem."

Kouyate, who played as both a centre-back and defensive midfielder, came into the recent summer transfer window as a free agent. The 36-year-old left Turkish side Amedspor in January after just four months during which he made nine appearances.

Kouyate first came to the Premier League in 2014, having made his name starring for Anderlecht. West Ham paid £7million for his services and he spent four years with the Irons.

Palace then signed him for £9.5m and he left in 2022 upon the expiry of his contract. He then played at Forest for two seasons.