Michael Laoud retires from football

By: Alusine Rehme Wilson – (AR-WILSON)

Former Sierra Leone and San Antonio FC Midfielder Michael Laoud has on Thursday, July 9, 2020 announced his retirement after playing professional football for 11 years.

Michael 33, while announcing his retirement in America, thanked his family, fans and supporters for being part of his football journey.

“Play for Sierra Leone was a dream come true for me, I’m very proud to have played with a number of team mates at the same made friends and represented you all well internationally,” said Lahoud.

“It’s always bitter-sweet to close a major chapter in everyone’s life but I’m excited for what I have. I will continue to be involved in the beautiful game of football and sports to give back what was given to me and more to the next generation of footballers,” he added.

Lahoud started playing football in Sierra Leone at a very tender age but had to leave the country when he was six years old due to the civil war and settled in Washington DC in the United States of America with his family where he continued his soccer career with his childhood American friend and classmate Jack Wolfes.

Four years after bagging the Washington Post All-Met Player of the Year award, he has a stint with Demon Deacons, progressed to Carolina Dynamo in 2008 and a year later joined MLS side Chivas USA where he graduated from amateur football after netting twice for the club in 46 starts from 64 match appearances.

Michael made his first senior international debut with the National Team of Sierra Leone at the age of 27 and was part of the squad that defeated Equatorial Guinea 3-2 in a FIFA World Cup Qualifier and also played a vital role in the 1-0 win at home in Freetown over Switzerland in 2014.

Regarded as one of the most compassionate and famous Major League Soccer Player from Sierra Leone, he has won several League titles and multiple awards for his outstanding contribution in and off the pitch.

In 2010 he became the first ever recipient of both the MLS and NASL Humanitarian of the Year Awards for giving back to the lives of other people at the same time was a co-recipient of the 2015 FIFPro Merit Award.

The former San Antonio FC midfielder charitable work have benefited many lives in Sierra Leone, mostly children among learners that have acquired education at his Education for All Primary School built by in collaboration with his friend Kai Ansu Kamara in 2015.

In May 2016, the former Philadelphia Midfielder signed a record transfer deal of €270,000 to Miami where he had a flourishing spell as a Captain, later moved from NY Cosmos and won the USL regular season championship with Cincinnati in the 2017/2018 season, the clubs first ever major trophy before finishing his football career at San Antonio FC.

It is believed that Michael’s tough Thursday decision to retire from football will mark a new beginning for the former Miami Captain who is tipped to becoming a football coach joining the likes of former Leone Stars Captain, Monaco and Inter Milan forward Mohamed Kallon and Chelsea-England midfielder Frank Lampard.

The news follows the retirement of Colarado Rapids Striker and Former Assistant team captain of Leone Stars, Kai Ansu Kamara from national team duty last year.