Mustapha Carayol, a winger with almost 250 EFL games in all three levels, has declared his retirement.

The 38-year-old began his career in the lower levels, becoming a personal favourite of ex-Manchester United player Paul Ince in his early coaching duties, who moved him to Swindon Town, Macclesfield Town, and finally MK Dons, where he secured his first professional contract in 2007.

Carayol has played for a number of EFL clubs over the last 19 years, including Bristol Rovers, Middlesbrough, Nottingham Forest, Ipswich Town, and Burton Albion, as well as on loan with Brighton & Hove Albion, Huddersfield Town, and Leeds United.

After returning to the non-league circuit with Wealdstone and then Peterborough Sports last season, the seven-time Gambian international has ended his professional career.

Mustapha Carayol declares retirement.

Carayol took to social media to post a retirement message, thanking all of the clubs he’d played for in England as well as short stints in Turkey and Cyprus in the late 2010s, the latter of which saw him compete in the Europa League with Apollon Limassol.

What a trip it’s been, from starting at the Damiola Taylor Centre in Peckham to a 20-year career in football,” he added.After two decades, this chapter of my life has come to an end. “Football has taught me so much, and I am grateful for everything it has given me.”I got to fulfilll my dream of playing for my country.

“I wish I’d done it sooner, but standing on the pitch, with my family in the stands and Gambians cheering my name, is something dreams are made of.”Every player and staff member with whom I’ve shared a dressing room, a training pitch, or a bus ride has contributed to this story.

To my family, none of this is possible without you. “Your love and support helped me get through everything.”And, to my son, getting to play as you watched was always my goal. I’m very pleased that it came true. Above all, I am grateful to be leaving the game healthy, happy, and proud of everything I have accomplished. It has been an adventure that I will never forget.”

Carayol isn’t abandoning football entirely. To conclude his speech, the 38-year-old announced that he will be entering football agency, “helping players navigate their careers and prepare for life beyond the game.”

The football world reacts to Mustapha Carayol’s retirement.

Carayol played for 19 different teams during the course of his 19-year career, thus he met and played with a lot of different people. Those who flocked to the comments area of his Instagram post announcing his retirement credited him.

Middlesbrough’s official account congratulated Carayol on Instagram and X, writing, “Congrats Muzzy 👏.” Carayol began his 124 Championship appearances at the Riverside after joining from Bristol Rovers, where he scored 13 goals in 2011/12.

Ebou Adams, a former teammate and current Portsmouth midfielder, praised him, saying, “Legend!!! Unreal career and achievements ❤️🔥👏.” Lincoln City captain Tendayi Darikwa, who worked with him at Nottingham Forest, said, “Congrats bro ❤️.”

Carayol’s career was praised by more than just his teammates. Former Crystal Palace and Everton winger Yannick Bolaise praised the 38-year-old in his comments.He commented, “I’ve never played with you, but I feel like I did every time 🙌❤️.”

A catastrophic ACL injury left Mustapha Carayol with a massive ‘what if?’ hanging over his career.

During his time at Middlesbrough, Carayol appeared to be developing into a reliable goal-scoring Championship winger. There may have been some doubts about his ability to go up from League Two to Bristol Rovers, but he did it effectively.

In his debut year on Teesside, the wideman scored three goals and assisted two in just 18 league games, while in his second season, he scored eight goals and assisted three in just over 2,000 minutes of play, averaging a goal every other game.

Unfortunately, an ACL injury sustained against Bournemouth in March 2014 sidelined him for an extended amount of time and resulted in his final game for Middlesbrough.

By the time he was healthy again, Borough were battling for promotion under Aitor Karanka, and he spent his last years with the club on loan with Brighton, Huddersfield, and Leeds. During those periods, he was unable to demonstrate his goal-scoring ability before to the injury.

If Carayol hadn’t suffered the ACL injury, he could have remained a major member of a Middlesbrough team that was poised for success under the Spaniard, and he could have played in the Premier League as well.

In any case, the winger departs with numerous domestic and international accolades, and his announcement has prompted many supporters to reflect on his tenure with their team.