Gaël Kakuta Hangs Up His Boots at 35

French winger Gaël Kakuta has officially called time on his professional football career at the age of 35. Over the course of a journey that took him to 16 different clubs, Kakuta left his mark across several European leagues. His list of former teams includes Chelsea, Lens, Sevilla, Fulham, Rayo Vallecano, Lazio, and many others. It was at Chelsea where he collected his most significant club honors — a Premier League title and an FA Cup. But Kakuta’s brightest moment came earlier, at the youth level, when he led France U-19 to European Championship glory in 2010 and was named the tournament’s best player. After more than 15 years in the professional game, the 35-year-old has decided it’s time to step away. His playing days are officially over.