VANCOUVER, BC
– Centre back Pa-Modou Kah announced his retirement on Tuesday, concluding a 19-year professional career that included playing for clubs in seven different countries. Kah will continue in his role as a Whitecaps FC staff coach.
“It’s been an amazing 20 years and although it saddens me to be hanging up the boots for good, I feel incredibly grateful to be given the chance to start coaching for Whitecaps FC and continue my journey here in Vancouver,” Kah
penned in an emotional retirement letter
. “Thank you Whitecaps FC, for believing in me and giving me this tremendous opportunity.”
PA-MODOU KAH ACCOMPLISHMENTS
- More than 400 professional matches and 30 goals scored
- 10 international caps and one goal with Norway's national team
- Club career in Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United States, and Canada
- 34 appearances and three goals with Vancouver Whitecaps FC
- Won the 2002 Norwegian Football Cup with Vålerenga, and the 2015 Voyageurs Cup with Whitecaps FC
Kah started 28 of his 30 MLS appearances with Whitecaps FC while scoring three goals. The 36-year-old centre back also started three CONCACAF Champions League matches and one Canadian Championship match, including winning the 2015 Voyageurs Cup with the 'Caps.
In August of 2016, Kah joined Whitecaps FC 2 (WFC2) as a player/coach with the club’s USL side. The veteran defender made three regular season appearances as a player, while also helping the team reach the Western Conference Final as an assistant coach.
Prior to joining the 'Caps, Kah spent two seasons with Portland Timbers, starting all 40 of his MLS appearances, as well as four MLS Cup Playoff matches, two U.S. Open Cup games, and one CONCACAF Champions League match.
Born in Banjul, The Gambia, Kah and his family moved to Norway when he was eight years old. The former Norwegian international went on to begin his professional career with Vålerenga in Oslo, scoring nine goals in 94 appearances from 1998 to 2003. He won the Norwegian Football Cup with Vålerenga in 2002.
The 6-foot-1, 175-pound centre back then left Norway to play with Swedish club AIK from 2003 to 2004, making 29 appearances and scoring three goals.
After parts of two seasons with AIK, Kah transferred to Roda JC in the Netherlands in 2004 and went on to make 189 league appearances and score 12 goals during his time with the club. Prior to coming to MLS, Kah played for Qatari club Al Khor from 2011 to 2013, with a loan to Qatar SC in 2012, followed by a move to Saudi Arabian club Al-Wehda in 2013.
Internationally, Kah made 10 appearances for Norway, scoring one goal for his country in a 1-0 win over Austria on November 22, 2002.
