Former Premier League Striker Saido Berahino Retires at 33
Former Premier League striker Saido Berahino has retired from football at 33 to focus on coaching the Burundi national team.
Berahino announced his decision in a statement he called "A Letter To The Game", posted on Instagram.
He wrote: "Football has given me everything. From the streets of Bujumbura to the Hawthorns, from the Premier League to places I never imagined I’d play — this game carried a young refugee kid through life.
"I want to thank West Bromwich Albion for believing in me when I was a boy. Those years at the club, the goals, the fans, the moments… they will always be special. To every teammate, coach, and supporter who shared the journey — thank you.
"There were highs and lows, mistakes and lessons. I learned that the game can lift you up and test you at the same time. Through it all, football remained my constant.
"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. Giving back to the country that made me, and helping the next generation, feels right.
"To my family — you have been my strength. To the fans who stayed with me through every chapter — I will never forget your support.
"This is not goodbye to football. It is simply the end of one story and the beginning of another."
He made his name at boyhood club West Bromwich Albion, where he scored 36 goals in 121 games, including a hat-trick on his first start as a 20-year-old against Newport County in the EFL Cup in August 2013. He had a standout season in 2014-15, scoring 20 goals in the Premier League and cup competitions.
He joined Stoke City for £12m in January 2017, but it did not work out. He had already lost his way at Albion in his last days under Tony Pulis, and he struggled at Stoke, who were relegated from the Premier League in April 2018.
Gary Rowett gave him a second chance and he scored five times in 2018-19, but he fell out of favour again. Stoke let him go by mutual consent in August 2019 with three years left on his deal.
From there he moved to Belgium, playing for Waregem and Charleroi, before Darren Moore signed him for Sheffield Wednesday in August 2021. He has since played in Cyprus, India and Slovenia.
He also played for Burundi, scoring twice in 23 games, and netted 72 goals in European club football. He was capped by England at every youth level up to under-21 and was twice called into the senior squad by Roy Hodgson, though he never got on the pitch.
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