Saido Berahino retires from football at 33
Former West Brom and Stoke City striker Saido Berahino has announced his retirement from professional football to focus on coaching the Burundi national team.
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Former Premier League striker Saido Berahino has retired from professional football at the age of 33. The Burundi international, who made his name at West Bromwich Albion, has decided to hang up his boots to pursue a career in coaching.
Berahino rose to prominence at his boyhood club, West Brom, notably scoring 20 goals during the 2014-15 campaign. His form earned him a £12m move to Stoke City in January 2017, but his time there proved difficult, eventually coinciding with the club's relegation from the top flight in 2018.
Following his departure from Stoke in 2019, Berahino embarked on a journeyman career, playing in Belgium, Cyprus, India, and Slovenia. He also had a stint at Sheffield Wednesday under former manager Darren Moore.
I want to thank West Bromwich Albion for believing in me when I was a boy. The time has come to hang up the boots. My body and my heart are ready for the next chapter. I am proud and grateful to now serve the Burundi national team as a coach. Saido Berahino
Though he represented England at various youth levels and received two senior call-ups under Roy Hodgson, Berahino ultimately played internationally for his native Burundi.