Charly Musonda, one of the most promising talents to come through Chelsea’s academy during the 2010s, officially announced his retirement from football at only 28 years old.
The Cobham graduate scored in his official Chelsea senior-team debut back in 2017 in the Carabao Cup against Nottingham Forest, but when it was all said and done, he managed only seven appearances with the Blues’ senior side.
Serious and recurring knee injuries suffered by the former Belgium youth international after a 2018 loan move to Eredivisie’s Vitesse derailed the career of a man who was once touted to be the next Eden Hazard.
Speaking on the Rising Ballers podcast, Musonda gave a lengthy interview detailing the entirety of his career. He covered everything from his promising rise in Chelsea’s academy and his recurring injuries that forced him to miss essentially four years of playing time, to the mental issues he battled with and ultimately, his decision to retire.
“I'm announcing I’m going to retire from professional football,” Musonda said. “It’s a decision I’ve been wrestling with for a long time. It’s not an easy decision, but again, I want to live my life with purpose and I want to help players.”
The 28-year-old former winger also took to social media to announce his retirement and shed light on what comes next for him.
Ever since his 2017 debut, between his time at Chelsea, loan moves to Real Betis, Celtic, Vitesse and eventual permanent transfers to Levante and Anorthosis, Musonda made less than 100 appearances as a professional.
After making a name for himself playing alongside fellow Cobham graduates Dominic Solanke, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Ola Aina, Tammy Abraham and Nathan Aké, Musonda hangs his boots in a career defined by what could’ve been.
Still, Musonda is not lingering on the past; instead, he is looking forward to what the future holds.
“I will still be involved in football. In roles to help players express themselves and giving them an opportunity to showcase how good they are. I want to be doing things with purpose. I want to inspire and motivate people. I want to create opportunities. I am starting something new that will hopefully help players,” Musonda said.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Former Chelsea Wonderkid Retires at Age 28, Pens Emotional Farewell to Football.
