Former West Brom defender Ahmed Hegazi announces retirement from professional football
Former West Bromwich Albion centre-back Ahmed Hegazi has officially announced his retirement from professional football, bringing an end to a distinguished playing career that spanned well over a decade.
The 35-year-old Egyptian defender made the announcement after completing the 2025/26 season with Saudi Arabian side Neom, where he spent the final chapter of his playing career before deciding it was time to hang up his boots.
Hegazi remains a familiar figure among West Brom supporters after representing the Baggies between 2017 and 2020. During his three-year spell at The Hawthorns, he made 104 appearances in all competitions and established himself as one of the club’s most dependable defenders.
He initially joined Albion on a season-long loan before making the move permanent. In his debut campaign, Hegazi featured in every Premier League fixture as West Brom battled to avoid relegation, demonstrating consistency and resilience throughout a difficult season for the club.
The experienced defender, who earned 88 international caps for Egypt, continued to play an influential role after Albion dropped into the Championship. He was a key member of the side that narrowly missed out on promotion via the play-offs before helping the club achieve automatic promotion back to the Premier League during the 2019/20 campaign.
Although injuries disrupted parts of that successful season, including a period on the sidelines following surgery, Hegazi still managed 18 appearances across all competitions and played his part in West Brom securing promotion under Slaven Bilić.
Following his departure from The Hawthorns in 2020, Hegazi moved to Saudi Arabia, initially joining Al-Ittihad on loan before completing a permanent transfer the following year. His time with the club proved highly successful, as he helped Al-Ittihad win major domestic honours before later joining Neom, where he spent the final two seasons of his professional career.
Announcing his retirement in an emotional message on social media, Hegazi reflected on his journey in football and expressed gratitude for the experiences the sport had given him.
He thanked football for every challenge, lesson, and unforgettable memory throughout his career, while making it clear that although his playing days are now over, his connection to the game is far from finished. Hegazi revealed that his passion, ambition, and commitment to football remain as strong as ever, suggesting he hopes to stay involved with the sport in a different capacity in the years ahead.
His retirement marks the end of a memorable career that included success at club level, nearly 90 appearances for Egypt, and an important spell at West Bromwich Albion, where he played a significant role in one of the club’s recent promotion-winning campaigns.
