Retirement Only Option for Fabrice Muamba

24 year-old Bolton Wanderers midfielder Fabrice Muamba has retired from soccer, with immediate effect.

The announcement was made today after months of recovery, following Muamba’s cardiac arrest on the 17th of March.

The shocking incident, which took place on the pitch at Tottenham’s White Hart Lane, created a series of discussions about the medical screening of footballers. It was recently revealed that the player was ‘technically’ dead for 78minutes.

In a statement released through Bolton’s website, Muamba said: “Since suffering my heart attack and being discharged from hospital, I have remained utterly positive in the belief I could one day resume my playing career and play for Bolton Wanderers once again.

“As part of my ongoing recovery, last week I travelled to Belgium to seek further medical advice from a leading cardiologist. But the news I received was obviously not what I had hoped it would be and it means I am now announcing my retirement from professional football.”

Muamba is always referred to as the ‘nice guy,’ or for having a smile on his face. This always seemed surprising to some, considering he came over to Britain at the age of 11, as a political refugee, following unrest in his native home of Kinshasa, Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo).

Despite this potentially disruptive upbringing, Muamba went on to impress on the field. He was signed as a junior at Arsenal and later played for Birmingham City.

However, despite having  intentions to work his way back to playing for Bolton, it was impressed upon him that the risks were too great.

On the matter, Bolton’s manager Owen Coyle simply said: “We know that he will go on to achieve great things and within all this disappointment, the most important thing is that he is here, alive, today.”