Former Arsenal and Manchester City star Emmanuel Adebayor has called time on his playing career, aged 39.
The ex-Togo international also represented Tottenham and Crystal Palace over the course of a nomadic and rarely dull 10-year stint in the Premier League.
Adebayor’s nomadic career also took in spells at Real Madrid and several clubs in Turkey before he finished his playing days back in his homeland.
In typically charismatic style, Adebayor announced he was hanging up his boots with a video on Instagram in which he signed a piece of paper with the message ‘Thanks for the blessings!!!’.
The footage continued with arguably most contentious goal in Premier League history which saw Adebayor score for City against Arsenal, before he ran the entire length of the field to celebrate in front of the fans who once adored him.
Adebayor said,
“SEA, from the highs to the lows, my career as a professional athlete has been an incredible journey,” read that caption that accompanied Adebayor’s farewell video. “Thank you to my fans for being there every step of the way. I’m feeling so grateful for everything, and excited for what’s to come!”
The animosity that still exists between Adebayor and Arsenal dates back to 2009 when it had been expected that, after two prolific seasons, he was ready to spearhead a new-look attack and fully accept the responsibility of stepping into Thierry Henry’s shoes.
Much to Arsene Wenger’s disappointment, Adebayor was tempted by the riches on offer at the Etihad Stadium and ditched the man who had brought him from obscurity to England.
“I had a meeting with Arsene Wenger in his office when he told me I had to leave because he doesn’t see my future anymore in Arsenal. I have to move on in my life,” Adebayor told TRT World back in 2018.
He further said,
“I was like ‘I’m going to stay.’ He was like ‘no there is not even a fight organised. We are not going to organise any fight for you. You move out or you stay here and don’t play any games.
“So I didn’t have any other choice than joining Man City which I was very happy to join.
“And the next day when I joined Manchester City I saw him doing a press conference in London saying that I wanted to leave because the money was big and everything, and since that day that is where the hate for Arsenal came from.
“Not the fans because the fans are the first English fans to sing my name in London. Even today when I watch them play I want them to win but at the same time I want them to lose because the anger in me is too big.”
