Gaël Kakuta retires from football; Eden Hazard once called him most talented player

Gaël Kakuta, the 35-year-old Congolese footballer, has announced his retirement from the sport. The decision came just hours after the Democratic Republic of Congo's 2-1 defeat to England in the round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup.

Kakuta, who began his professional career at Chelsea in 2009, shared his emotional farewell to football via an Instagram post, concluding a 17-year professional journey. Throughout his career, he played in various countries and leagues, leaving a significant mark in France with clubs like Lens, Dijon, and Amiens.

His career also included stints in the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, and Iran. More recently, he played in Greece for AEL. Kakuta's trophy cabinet includes a Premier League title with Chelsea in 2010 and the UEFA European Under-19 Championship with France in the same year.

Although he represented France's youth national teams, Kakuta chose to play for the Democratic Republic of Congo starting in 2017. He earned 31 caps for his adopted nation, concluding his international career at the 2026 World Cup. Notably, former Chelsea teammate Eden Hazard once described Kakuta as the most talented player he had ever played alongside, highlighting his exceptional technique and natural ball-playing ability.

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Most talented player i’ve played alongside? Gaël Kakuta. The only one I was saying ‘wow’ was Kakuta. You asked me talent. Kakuta, by, far number one. Talent. I mean, talent. Wow.