Diallo scored six goals in his seven years in England

Cheltenham Town defender Drissa Diallo has retired from professional football to start a business in France.

The 37-year-old Guinea cap has played for Burnley, Ipswich, Sheffield Wednesday, MK Dons and the Robins since moving to England from Belgium in 2003.

The Mauritania-born centre-back made 211 appearances in English football, scoring six goals.

He joined Cheltenham in September 2008, initially on loan from MK Dons, and made 50 appearances for them.

His last ever appearance as a professional was in the 3-0 defeat at Torquay on 1 December.

He told the Robins website: "I've been thinking about what I'm going to do after football for a few years and now maybe the time is right to do something else.

"It's been a long journey for me because I first left home to play professionally in 1992 and I have been very lucky to play for as long as I have.

"I am going back to France next month and I will be very busy with starting a new business and renovating my house so will not have much time for football. But I would like to stay involved in football and maybe I will play part-time next season in France."

He turned down two Football League clubs to return to France, where he was raised after moving from Africa with his parents as a child.

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