Official | Former Manchester City defender and France international Eliaquim Mangala retires | OneFootball

Eliaquim Managal (35), who became the most expensive defender in the world when he joined Manchester City back in 2014 for €45m, has retired from professional football.

Mangala began his career in Belgium with Standard Liege before making the move to Porto back in 2011. It was from there that he made the jump to Manchester City, although his time at the Premier League giants was hampered by injuries. He would go on to spend time on loan at Valencia and Everton, whilst, in the final years of his career, he would have brief spells at AS Saint-Étienne, Estoril, and Oriente P. in the Bolivian top-flight. 

He would win one Premier League title, two FA Cups, two Portuguese championships, two Portuguese Super Cups, one Belgian championship, and one Belgian cup. The France international (eight caps) made a total of 387 appearances, the most of which came at Standard Liege (99). 

Mangala has now joined the backroom staff at Saint-Étienne, where he will work with newly-appointed manager Ian Cathro. 

Read our interview with Mangala from October 2022 HERE

GFFN | Luke Entwistle