Yado Mambo, the viral Mambo No.5 player, forced to retire from playing, aged 26

Viral: Yado Mambo's limited edition shirt raised £3,500 for charity
ebbsfleetunited.co.uk
Alex Young @alexwsyoung20 December 2017

Ebbsfleet United defender Yado Mambo, who become a viral star in November, has been forced to retire, aged just 26.

The centre-back rose in prominence last month after a campaign was made to give him a No.5 shirt to match the name of the popular Lou Bega song.

Mambo embraced the campaign to raise more than £3,500 for Prostate Cancer UK with a one off 'Mambo 5' shirt auctioned off on charity.

However, just over a month later and Mambo is being forced to hang up his playing boots for good after suffering a knee injury in a recent game against Wrexham.

Ebbsfleet Town explain in a statement: "Further stress from playing would aggravate the arthritis in his knee and lead to problems in later life so the advice from medical professionals was to take early retirement."

Mambo said: "I’m really, really gutted but there’s nothing I can do. The specialist told me last week when I had my scan and X-ray. It’s one of those things, it’s life and you’ve just got to carry on.

"I want to say thanks to the Fleet fans for making me feel so at home, not only this season but all three spells I’ve had here.

"I’m just gutted I couldn’t play many more games for them. But it’s not the last time you’ll see my face, I’ll be around the stadium on matchdays, I’ll still be around the club.

"Ebbsfleet has a big place in my heart. I came through Charlton from a young player but Ebbsfleet is probably my second home."

Mambo has been offered a behind-the-scenes non-playing role by the club.

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