Arthur Desmas announces retirement due to repeated concussions

Arthur Desmas announces retirement due to repeated concussions Arthur Desmas (32) has announced his retirement from professional football. The French goalkeeper said that the decision was one taken by his neurosurgeon. Desmas came through the ranks at Stade Brestois. He spent much of his career in his native France, playing for the likes of Chamois Niort, Rodez AF, Clermont Foot, and Le Havre AC. Most of his appearances came in Ligue 2 (96), however, he also made 66 appearances in France’s top flight. Throughout his career, he made a total of 253 appearances. He left Le Havre upon the expiry of his contract in the summer of 2025 and joined Qatari club Al-Duhail SC in September 2025. He would make just two appearances for the Qatari club. However, he has now been forced to call time on his playing career. He explained the decision during an interview with Canal Plus . “I am not the one who made the decision. It is my neurosurgeon who told me that I had to stop. There are physical symptoms: headaches, neck pain, pain in the eyes… there are also memory issues, problems with focus. But I realised it when, one day, my son threw a ball at me. I told myself that I couldn’t go and get it and that I had to go to bed. That’s when I said that there is a real problem ,” said Desmas. GFFN | Luke Entwistle