The former football player made a statement about his health condition, which he hid throughout his career
The former midfielder of “West Ham United” Cheikhou Kouyate announced that he suffered from heart disease during his football career. The Senegalese international has now retired, but hid the diagnosis from his family for years.
Kouyate, 36, played 147 times for the Hammers over four years. He also appeared for Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest and won 92 caps for his country.
He was close to returning to Anderlecht in the summer, 12 years after leaving the Belgian club to move to England. However, the club doctor diagnosed his heart condition during a medical examination and the player followed his advice to retire.
JOIN US ON FB! Get the latest football news on Football London’s Facebook page
“I had this heart problem since birth. I played with it,” Kouyate told Senegal’s Walfadjri TV. “In England it was monitored every six months.
“I had medicals at West Ham, Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest. Every time I went through the tests, the problem reappeared.
“Doctors always told me the problem, but I took responsibility myself. I signed insurance documents that everything that might happen to me would be my responsibility.
“Anderlecht called me [in the summer] to play there and also start training as a coach. But after the doctor’s examination, he asked me to stop football.”
He said that certain playing conditions can aggravate the situation: “The problem is high altitude. If I play in the heat, it hurts a lot during and after the match.
“It feels like a stitch in the side for about 5 minutes and then it goes away. When this happens, I get painful cramps after a match. It stops after 24 hours.
“I never said anything. I didn’t want to be forced to stop early. I didn’t tell my family or even the national doctors. They didn’t know about my problem.”
Kouyate was brought to Upton Park by Sam Allardyce in 2014 and scored five times under Slaven Bilic at the Hammers’ old stadium last season. His final goal for the club was a landmark, helping David Moyes earn his first point as manager in a 1-1 draw with Leicester City.
He also spent four years at Selhurst Park and joined Forest in 2022 following promotion to the top flight. Most recently, he played for “Amedspor” in the second league of Turkey.
Comfortable in central midfield or at centre-back, he represented Senegal at the 2018 and 2022 World Cup finals. His last international appearance was in 2024 in a friendly match against Benin.