Simon Deli delighted to end career at Slavia Prague

Former Ivory Coast international defender Simon Deli has decided to call time on his career at age 34.

After numerous injuries that prevented him from returning to active competition and reaching his full potential, the central defender has decided to hang up his boots.

🗣️ „Skončit ve Slavii bylo to nejdůležitější, nic jiného nechci. Všechny úspěchy, které jsem tady získal, byly pro vás! Miluju vás,“ dojal se v posledním rozhovoru Simon Deli, se kterým se rozloučíme v Edenu před nedělním derby. 👑

Celý rozhovor na webu 👉… pic.twitter.com/kQmi7FWAMZ

— SK Slavia Praha (@slaviaofficial) March 7, 2026

“We are here to officially announce the end of my career. My beautiful and brilliant career. I don’t want to push myself anymore.”

Deli, who spent over a decade in Europe after leaving Africa Sports d’Abidjan, expressed profound joy at ending his journey with Slavia Prague.

“I finally have to listen to my body. Finishing my career at Slavia was the most important thing; I don’t want anything else,” Deli officially announced in a video posted by his club, Slavia Prague. He finished his career with a handful of appearances for the club’s reserve team this season.

Deli started his career at Africa Sports in Abidjan before moving to Central Europe with the most successful Czech Republic outfit Sparta Prague in 2012.

He went on to spend three seasons at the club with two loan spells at Ceske Budejovice and Pribram during his time with the Red and Whites.

Deli’s other club experience include stints at Club Brugge of Belgium, Turkey sides Adana Demirspor and Istanbulspor as well as Asteras Tripolis of Greece before finally settling at Slavia Prague where his journey was plagued by incessant injuries.

Deli made his first appearance for the Elephants in 2015 and went on to represent the three time champions at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon.

The 26-time capped player was subsequently invited for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon, where he played all of his nation’s matches as they exited in the Round of 16.