Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Steve Mandanda, Marseille Appearance Record-Holder, Retires at 40

Tributes from French football figures spotlight his leadership beyond shot-stopping.

L'ex-gardien de Rennes, Steve Mandanda, ovationné au stade Vélodrome lors d'un match contre l'OM, à Marseille, le 17 mai 2025, lors de la dernière journée de Ligue 1.
Steve Mandanda et Didier Deschamps célèbrent la victoire de l'équipe de France contre la Croatie en finale de la Coupe du monde, à Moscou, le 15 juillet 2018.

Overview

  • The 40-year-old goalkeeper told L'Équipe he is ending his career after becoming a free agent following his spell at Rennes.
  • He leaves as Olympique de Marseille’s record appearance holder with 613 matches across 14 seasons, capped by the 2010 Ligue 1 title.
  • A 2018 World Cup winner with France, he earned 35 caps and was widely regarded as Hugo Lloris’s trusted deputy for over a decade.
  • His final minutes came with a late cameo at the Stade Vélodrome on May 17, celebrated by a standing ovation and the captain’s armband.
  • He declined offers from clubs including Le Havre, Montpellier and Brest, received praise from Didier Deschamps and the FFF for his exemplary leadership, and has begun post-career steps with the ex-players’ business club La Causerie.