The Nigerian international made 24 appearances for West Brom between 2014 and 2015, scoring four goals….
Former Super Eagles forward Brown Ideye has officially announced his retirement from professional football, Soccernet.ng reports.
This draws the curtain on a career that spanned nearly two decades across England, Ukraine, Spain, Greece, China, and a host of others.
Ideye, who was part of Nigeria’s golden squad that won the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa, took to his X (formerly Twitter) page to confirm the decision.
What Brown Ideye Said
On his social media pages, Ideye expressed gratitude to everyone who contributed to his football career:
“After much thought and consideration with mixed emotions, I’ve decided to retire from professional football,” Ideye wrote. “I will first like to thank God for the talent and the long career I’ve enjoyed. I thank my family and friends for their unwavering love, support and understanding till this day.”
The 36-year-old striker acknowledged the agents, coaches, teammates, and journalists who played roles in his success. He also reserved a special message for Nigerian fans, saying:
“Thank you, Nigeria, for the opportunity you gave me to wear the national colour and be among the Super Eagles. Though my time as a pro-player has come to an end, football will always be a part of my life as I enter my next chapter.”
Ideye’s International career
Ideye earned 28 caps for the Super Eagles between 2010 and 2016, where he scored six goals. His standout moment came at AFCON 2013, where he contributed to Stephen Keshi’s side lifting Nigeria’s third continental crown.
He also featured at the FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil later that year and was part of the squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
Club career: West Brom, Olympiacos, others
At the club level, Ideye began his career in Nigeria with Bayelsa United and Ocean Boys before moving abroad.
He played in France with Sochaux, enjoyed success in Ukraine with Dynamo Kyiv, and later moved to England, where he scored four Premier League goals for West Bromwich Albion.
The striker also represented Olympiacos, Tianjin Teda, Málaga, and Aris Thessaloniki before returning to Nigeria for a short stint with Enyimba.
Ideye’s final official appearance came in May 2025 during an NPFL clash between Enyimba and Plateau United in Aba.
Following his retirement, Ideye is expected to continue contributing to football in other capacities, having recently taken up a player development role with Atlantic Business FC in Nigeria’s TCC League.