Former France and West Ham attacking midfielder Dimitri Payet has retired at the age of 38.
Payet joined West Ham from Marseille in June 2015 for £10.7m and returned to Marseille in January 2017 for £25m. He scored 15 goals in 60 games for the Hammers and quickly became a fan favourite, though he left to “return to his roots.”
He earned 38 caps for France and helped the national team reach the Euro 2016 final, which they lost to Portugal.
Payet announced his retirement during a half-time interview in Marseille’s match against Lille on Sunday. He said:
"I want to thank everyone who shared these 20 years with me. It was something exceptional. I come from an island, and my dream was to become a professional. I made it and played at the highest level for 20 years. I played for the national team, and today ends a beautiful journey."
Over his career, Payet also played for Nantes, St-Etienne, Lille, and Brazilian club Vasco da Gama, which was his last team before retiring.
