I am very, very close to retirement, says Ighalo

Odion Ighalo has disclosed that he is retiring from football soon. 

The 34-year-old Nigerian forward, who currently plays for Al Wedha in the Saudi Pro League, said “the body is not the same way it was anymore.” 

Ighalo began his career at Nigerian clubs, Prime and Julius Berger before moving to Norwegian side Lyn in 2007. He went on to play at Udinese, Granada, Watford and Manchester United with spells in China between 2017 and 2021. 

He made his debut for Nigeria in 2015, representing the Super Eagles at the 2018 World Cup and claiming Bronze at the 2019 Nations Cup. 

“I’m very, very close to retirement,” Ighalo exclusively told Omasports. “When I say I’m very, very close, I mean I’m very, very close to calling it a day because I’ve been doing it for a long time, and I think it’s time for me to say goodbye to it. 

“Sometimes you get tired. The body is not the same way it was anymore. 

“You enjoy the game, but you don’t kill yourself like before. I don’t go crazy anymore about it. It’s my job. I’m professional. I do my job. I try to win, try to score. But 5 years ago, if I lost a game, I would go crazy. I would get angry. Now, after the next day, I move on. You understand, not because I don’t love my job but I’m winding up.

“Five years ago, I could play three games in 5 days and recover well. Now, one game will take a few days to recover. Another two games, your body will tell you because you’re not young anymore. So, it’s telling on the body. And sometimes, mentally, you’re exhausted.”

Ighalo joined Al Wedha in 2023 after stints at Al Shabab and Al Hilal. He still has a year on his contract with Al Wedha but says he’s already physically and mentally prepared for retirement.

“If you don’t prepare, you can’t say you’re going to stop abruptly. 

“Because I’ve been doing this for a long time, and you have to be mentally, financially, and physically prepared. It’s going to be different after football. You don’t get the monthly salary as it comes, and you still have responsibilities. So, you have to cut down on many responsibilities.

“I am grateful for what I’ve achieved today. I’m grateful for life, and I’m grateful for what God has blessed me with.

“Football is what I’ve done all my life. You understand I don’t have any other job. I didn’t go to school, so it’s what I’ve done all my life. It’s going to be tough, especially mentally because you don’t go to training every day, you don’t play games every day. That fame will go down; the popularity will go down.

“So you have to be ready mentally for all those things and just focus on yourself, most especially your kids, my mom, and those that are dear to me. That’s it.”