James Milner, the Premier League's all-time appearance record holder, has announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 40. The midfielder's career spanned 24 seasons in the top flight, during which he played for Leeds United, Newcastle United, Aston Villa, Manchester City, Liverpool and Brighton & Hove Albion.
Milner broke the Premier League appearance record in February while playing for Brighton against Brentford, finishing his career with 658 top-tier games. He also earned 61 England caps and represented the national team at four major tournaments. His journey began at Leeds, where at 16 years and 356 days he became the Premier League's youngest goalscorer.
At Manchester City, Milner won two Premier League titles, an FA Cup and a League Cup. Manager Manuel Pellegrini called him 'the most complete player in England'. At Liverpool, he added another league title, another FA Cup, a League Cup and the Champions League. He ended his career at Brighton, helping them qualify for the Conference League.
Milner was known for his professionalism and versatility, playing as a full-back, winger and emergency centre-forward. Former teammate Nedum Onuoha described him as 'ahead of the curve' and 'the glue that holds stuff together'. Jordan Henderson praised his 'unique mentality'.
In a statement on Instagram, Milner said: 'After 24 seasons in the Premier League, it feels like the right time to bring an end to my playing career. I could never have dreamed of the journey I've been on.' He added that the friendships he made were more important than trophies or records.
