‘I cost Newcastle £7m but quit football at 27 – seven years on I’m back in France’s fifth division’

Former Newcastle defender Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa lifted the Ligue 1 title with Montpellier but now finds himself in the lower leagues of French football after returning to the game

With Ligue 1 glory, appearances in the Champions League, and experience in the South of France, Newcastle, and Rome, it’s safe to say that Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa has had a remarkable career.

The 34-year-old last played on the field in 2017—a full seven years ago—before hanging up his boots for good in 2020 following a stint with Lyon. The four-time French international has suddenly abruptly announced his retirement in order to sign with Istres, a fifth-tier French team.

He stated: “The project is interesting and I wanted to get back into the field” in a statement following the move’s confirmation. I’ll share my knowledge with the younger generation.

To their credit, Istres is a formidable force in the lower echelons of French football. They now hold the top spot in the Championnat National 3 and have a stadium that can hold 17,000 people.

However, it is still a far way from the stadiums Yanga-Mbiwa was accustomed to playing in. Beginning his career in 2007, he played more than 200 games for Montpellier, helping the team win its only significant domestic championship in the 2011–12 Ligue 1 campaign.

His shape soon attracted the admiring gaze of others. A move to AC Milan was reportedly pursued for his services, and the center-back declined a move to Arsenal.

Eventually, Yanga-Mbiwa would join the Premier League after spending £7 million to join Newcastle. He was a part of Alan Pardew’s St. James’ Park French revolution.

In January 2013, he signed with the team together with Mathieu Debuchy, Yoan Gouffran, Massadio Haidara, and Moussa Sissoko. But the contrast between the North East of England and the South of France quickly took the defense off guard.

He said to ChronicleLive in May 2022, “It was difficult because it was totally different in Newcastle from the south of France, where the heat is very good.” Occasionally, I used to cry. Not just me, but also a few other people. It was a hoot. It was perhaps three or four days before I saw the sun again after I opened the window. It started to snow!

“Also, I speak English now and understand English but, when I was there, when people spoke Geordie to me, it was like Chinese! The first time was strange but when you started to get to know them, you just loved them because they gave you love. They gave you everything.

“Even when I went down the street or was shopping, I would see the fans. It was funny to talk with them. When you speak with one Newcastle fan, trust me, in the next two minutes, there will be maybe 50 or 60 behind you. It’s because they love football.”

Yanga-Mbiwa spent just a year-and-a-half with the Magpies before moving to Roma on loan but he still developed an affection for the club despite the miserable climate. “I still love Newcastle,” he added.

“I still watch some Newcastle games. I still support Newcastle. When I see the stadium full today, it makes something inside of me excited. It’s a good emotion.”

He helped them to a second-placed finish in the league but they chose not to sign him permanently, leaving Yanga-Mbiwa free to complete a switch back to France and join Lyon. He enjoyed two successful seasons with the Ligue 1 giants, even playing in the Champions League.

But after that, he completely disappeared from view. His last appearance for Lyon came in 2017 and he was ushered out the back door three years later at the end of his contract.

He had not played any professional football since but is now back in the game with Istres. Let’s just hope he enjoys the weather slightly more than he did in Newcastle.