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The 36-year-old brought an end to his 16-year football career on Monday after he left Swiss club Lugano in August
Former Chelsea and Senegal striker Demba Ba has announced his retirement from football.
Ba made his decision public via social media Monday, almost a month after he quit Swiss Super League club Lugano.
He joined Lugano as a free transfer in June. He only played 47 minutes of league soccer before he ended his contract, apparently due to a change of ownership.
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Ba, born in France to Senegalese parents, started his career at French club Rouen and he enjoyed a nomadic playing career across Belgium, Germany, England, Turkey, China and Switzerland.
The 36-year-old won Uefa Europa League in 2012-13 with Chelsea and also won the Turkish Super Lig title twice in 2016-17 and 2019-20 with Istanbul Basaksehir.
He played 22 matches for Senegal between 2007-2015, scoring four goals.
“It is with a heart filled with gratefulness that I announce the end of my playing career. What a wonderful journey it has been,” Ba wrote on Twitter.
“Beside all the sweat and tears I have faced, football has given me so many beautiful emotions.
This will be a memory that I will never forget, from the excitement of the fans and the cheers after every goal to the bonds with my teammates off and on the field.
“I want you to know how much I appreciate everyone who helped me grow. Every club and manager that gave me the chance, the fans for their incredible support, and my family for their unconditional love.
“From the bottom of my heart, thank you. Praise the almighty.
Ba’s longest playing time was at Hoffenheim, where he scored 37 goals over 97 Bundesliga matches. He then moved to England to join West Ham United in January 2011, but he left the Hammers six month later after their relegation from the Championship.
He was signed by Newcastle United immediately. His goalscoring skills made him a key player at Newcastle United.
In January 2013, Ba joined Roberto Di Matteo’s Chelsea where he scored 14 goals before switching to Besiktas in June 2014.
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