PARIS (AP) — Dimitri Payet called time on a playing career where he earned a reputation as one of soccer’s entertainers, catching the eye with spectacular free kicks and wizardry on the ball.
The 38-year-old announced his retirement on Sunday. He was out of contract after finishing a spell with Brazilian club Vasco da Gama. It was perhaps fitting that Payet’s career should end in Brazil, whose soccer-loving fans appreciate the type of skill and intricacy he was capable of.
“On the eve of my 39th birthday, I officially announce I’m retiring as a professional footballer,” Payet told French broadcaster Ligue 1. “I would like to thank everyone who shared these 20 years with me, it was something really exceptional.”
Payet grew up on the French Indian Ocean island of Réunion and moved to France to join Le Havre’s youth academy in 1999. After returning briefly to start his career with Réunion-based side Excelsior, he made his name in the French league as a goal-scoring midfielder with Nantes, Saint-Étienne, Lille and Marseille.
Despite being criticized for a perceived lack of work rate, his goals, slick passing and vision earned him a move to the Premier League with West Ham, where he enjoyed a good spell and scored dazzling free kicks against Bournemouth, Manchester United and Crystal Palace. West Ham fans took to him quickly and invented a song in his honor, comparing him with France great Zinedine Zidane.
While such comparisons were an exaggeration, Payet carried his form over into the national team and enjoyed his best year in 2016 when he played for Les Bleus at the European Championship in France.
He scored seven of his eight goals for France that year, including an astonishing free kick against Russia from 35 meters, hit with incredible bend and late dip into the top left corner, that left coach Didier Deschamps open-mouthed.
Payet’s form saw him linked with a move to Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid, but he moved back to Marseille and enjoyed several productive seasons at the southern club before leaving in 2023 to join Rio-based Vasco.
He scored more than 150 goals in his career, 78 of them for Marseille. He played 38 times for France, finishing runner-up at Euro 2016, where he scored three goals.
“I come from an island and my dream was to become a pro. I managed to do it and to play for the national team,” Payet said. “It’s the end of a great adventure.” ___
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