Steve Mandanda Retires From Football at 40 After Stellar Career

MARSEILLE, France — Former France goalkeeper Steve Mandanda has announced his retirement from football at the age of 40. Mandanda made 797 appearances over his club career, playing for clubs such as Le Havre, Marseille, Crystal Palace, and Rennes.

After spending three seasons with Rennes, his contract expired in July. Mandanda chose not to continue his career with another club. “I needed to take my time to accept it, because it’s not easy, but yes, I’m stopping,” he told L'Equipe.

Mandanda had a rich international career, making 35 appearances for France. He was part of the squad that won the 2018 World Cup in Russia and those that finished as runners-up at Euro 2016 and the 2022 World Cup. He retired from international football earlier this year in January after the 2022 tournament.

His breakthrough as a professional came at Marseille, where he played for 14 seasons across two spells. Mandanda won the Ligue 1 title under coach Didier Deschamps in the 2009-10 season and also collected three Coupe de la Ligue trophies with the club. In the 2017-18 season, he reached the final of the Europa League but lost to Atletico Madrid.

Overall, Mandanda made 555 appearances in Ligue 1 and achieved 177 clean sheets throughout his career. His contributions to French football will be remembered by fans and players alike.