Bolton Wanderers midfielder Fabrice Muamba retires from professional football

Fabrice Muamba has announced his retirement from professional football.

The former Bolton Wanderers midfielder suffered a cardiac arrest during a FA Cup match against Tottenham Hotspur last March - his heart stopped for 78 minutes.

Muamba spent a month in hospital after he collapsed at White Hart Lane but aimed to make a comeback in football.

In a statement released on Bolton's official website, Muamba said:

Bolton manager Owen Coyle paid tribute to Muamba, calling him a "fighter" and a "strong person":

Muamba fled war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo when he was 11 and moved to London.

Despite being unable to speak English when he arrived in the UK, he went on to get 10 GCSEs and three A-levels.

He joined Arsenal's youth academy in 2002 before moving to Birmingham and then Bolton.