Peniel Mlapa: Togo-German striker retires after leaving Lamphun Warrior

Togo-German centre-forward Peniel Mlapa has ended his playing career after leaving Thai League side Lamphun Warrior.

Mlapa, who turned 35 on 20 February 2026, joined the club from Port FC in July 2025. He now moves into retirement, bringing to a close a career that included spells in Germany, the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates, South Korea and Thailand.

The striker began his senior career with 1860 Munich after progressing through the club’s youth system. He moved to Hoffenheim in 2010 for €1.3m and later joined Borussia Monchengladbach for €2.5m in 2012.

Mlapa subsequently represented 1. FC Nuremberg, VfL Bochum, Dynamo Dresden and VVV-Venlo in Germany and the Netherlands. His move to VVV-Venlo in 2018 was initially a loan from Dynamo Dresden before becoming permanent the following year.

The forward then moved abroad, joining Ittihad Kalba from VVV-Venlo for €2.5m in July 2019. During his time in the UAE Pro League, he scored 32 goals in 81 appearances, while also registering 10 goals in 16 UAE League Cup matches. He finished as the competition’s leading scorer in the 2020-21 season with five goals.

Mlapa later played for Al-Nasr and Kalba FC before leaving the United Arab Emirates. After a period without a club, he joined South Korean side Daejeon Hana Citizen in March 2024. He moved to Busan IPark in July that year and then transferred to Port FC on a free transfer in January 2025.

His final club season came in Thailand with Lamphun Warrior. Across the competitions recorded during his career, Mlapa made 130 appearances in the 2. Bundesliga, scoring 26 goals, and played 79 Bundesliga matches, scoring eight times. He also scored 15 goals in 30 Eredivisie appearances.

Mlapa was recognised early in his career when he won the Fritz Walter Golden Medal in 2011 while at Hoffenheim. The 1.93m striker, who preferred his right foot, leaves the game having played across several European and Asian leagues.

His departure from Lamphun Warrior on 21 August 2026 completes Mlapa’s move into retirement.