josuha guilavogui retirement leeds united landed on Saturday afternoon, with the former Leeds United midfielder announcing that he is stepping away from professional football at 35. He leaves after a short but meaningful spell at Elland Road that ended with a promotion-winning season.
Guilavogui made the announcement on his social media channels and did so with a message that mixed gratitude and closure. “Time to write THE famous sentence. I'm hanging up the boots. The page turns but the book remains open.”
Guilavogui And Leeds United
He joined Leeds United in October 2024 and made his debut in a 3-0 home victory over Plymouth Argyle. That first appearance set the tone for a brief run in which he featured 18 times across all competitions under Daniel Farke last term.
Leeds finished that campaign by winning the second-tier trophy, and Guilavogui’s role was part of that closing stretch. He was not a long-term signing, but he was in the squad for a season that delivered a title and a return to form for the club.
France, Spain And Germany
His retirement closes a career that stretched beyond Leeds United and reached Saint-Étienne, Atlético Madrid, VfL Wolfsburg, Bordeaux and Mainz 05. He also earned seven caps for France, giving his exit weight beyond one club and one season.
The goodbye message carried the kind of personal detail that rarely appears in a standard retirement post. “Asking for a lot but giving so much more.” He also wrote, “You gave me the chance to fulfill my father's dream, which later became my own, which animates the hearts and eyes of millions of children... and then you chose me.”
For Leeds, the immediate record is simple: a former player from the 2024-25 promotion-winning squad has retired after 18 appearances. For Guilavogui, the final chapter came at 35 with a career that moved through France, Spain and Germany before ending in West Yorkshire.
