2009 East Asian Games football hero Chan Siu-ki hangs up his boots
- The 34-year-old is pursuing a career in the restaurant and karaoke business
- The ex-South China striker is Hong Kong’s all-time leading international goalscorer with 37 goals
Hong Kong international football striker Chan Siu-ki has announced his retirement from the sport after a 18-year professional career that included winning gold for the national side at the 2009 East Asian Games.
The 34-year-old last played for Premier League club Pegasus but made only three appearances for the side this season. Pegasus announced that they will not take part in the league once the season resumes in September. The season was severely disrupted because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Chan will take up a new career in the restaurant and karaoke industry.
“My 18 years of playing soccer has been pretty good.” said Chan. “There was nothing wrong with it and I won honours with both club and country.”
Chan has posted online in the past that he was about to hang up his boots and warned the day would be coming. He already made up his mind that he was retiring from the sport eight months ago.
“I’m not very interested in being a coach,” he said. “As an athlete, there’s always going to be a time when you have to call it quits.”
Chan is Hong Kong’s all-time top scorer with 37 international goals. The ex-South China striker scored a dramatic equaliser against Japan in the final of the 2009 East Asian Games before scoring again in the penalty shoot-out as the hosts won team gold for the first time.
That match was watched in front of a sold-out Hong Kong Stadium (40,000) and was considered the high point of the 2009 East Asian Games hosted by Hong Kong for the first time.
