Former Premier League star hangs boots aged 30 after “falling out of love with the game”

Rene Otinga

updated at April 12, 2023 at 7:53 PM

Propper said he had fallen out of love with the game, hence his decision to hang his boots
He disclosed he made the decision before Christmas and started losing his passion for football while playing for Brighton
Having joined Brighton and Hove Albion in 2017, he went on to make 121 appearances for the Seagulls over four seasons

Former Brighton and Hove Albion star Davy Propper has made a retirement from football aged just 30.

The midfielder says he made the decision after losing “the pleasure” of playing football.

He joined Brighton in 2017 and was an integral part of the squad making 121 appearances over four seasons.

However, he started falling out of favour in the Seagulls squad last season, making just 11 appearances and eventually went on to rejoin his former club PSV on a two-year deal.

At PSV, he still struggled to find the motivation and revealed to PSV.nl that he was slowly losing interest in the beautiful game.

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Football

Part of what hampered his motivation was the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

“During the period that I was abroad, I noticed that I slowly lost the pleasure of football.

“I found it extremely difficult to muster the discipline necessary to perform optimally and to let my life completely be determined by the busy football schedule.

“The coronavirus period and the lack of visits from family and friends did me no good then either.

He added: “I hoped that with my return to the Netherlands, the fun in football would return.

“Unfortunately, that has not turned out to be so easy, partly because I don't feel comfortable in football culture.

“Not comfortable in the football culture”

Propper further stated that he was starting to not feel comfortable with his life revolving around the football culture and wanted to explore other things.