Kei Kamara releases touching video as two-time MLS All-Star announces retirement

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Kei Kamara releases touching video as two-time MLS All-Star announces retirement

Kei Kamara releases touching video as two-time MLS All-Star announces retirement

After 20 years in professional soccer, MLS icon Kei Kamara has announced his decision to retire at the age of 41, leaving the league as it's second highest goalscorer

Kei Kamara releases touching video as two-time MLS All-Star announces retirement

After 20 years in professional soccer, MLS icon Kei Kamara has announced his decision to retire at the age of 41, leaving the league as it's second highest goalscorer

After two decades of electrifying Major League Soccer, a true legend has decided it's time to hang up his cleats. Kei Kamara, the beloved 41-year-old striker and two-time MLS All-Star, has officially announced his retirement from professional soccer—closing the book on a career that saw him become the league's second all-time leading scorer.

Kamara made the emotional announcement in a touching video shared on social media, filmed at Kansas City Current's CPKC Stadium. The clip shows the former Sierra Leone international picking up his boots, kissing them, and reuniting with his family on the pitch. "I never played for just one crest. I played for the love of the game and the places it carried me," Kamara said. "From Sierra Leone to America, 20 years of chasing something bigger. Goals fade, records fade, but what you carry forward, that stays."

In a poignant moment, one of his three children asks, "Dad, where are we going now?" Kamara's reply says it all: "We're going home." The video closes with the caption, "Thank you, football. Kei Kamara. '06 - '26. God Bless."

Kamara's career numbers are nothing short of remarkable. He scored 147 goals in 461 appearances across 12 different MLS clubs, trailing only former U.S. Men's National Team star Chris Wondolowski (171 goals) on the league's all-time scoring list. While his final season with FC Cincinnati saw him go scoreless in 22 appearances across all competitions, his legacy was cemented long before that.

The CPKC Stadium setting was especially fitting. Kamara's longest and most successful stint came with Sporting Kansas City, where he made 122 appearances—more than with any other club—winning two Eastern Conference titles and one of his two U.S. Open Cups. His finest individual season came in 2015 after rejoining the Columbus Crew, when he led MLS in goals and earned his first and only selection to the MLS Best XI.

For fans and collectors of soccer memorabilia, Kamara's retirement marks the end of an era defined by passion, perseverance, and a relentless love for the game. As the soccer world says goodbye to a true icon, his journey from Sierra Leone to becoming an MLS legend will continue to inspire the next generation of players—and the gear they wear while chasing their own dreams.

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