Micah Richards has revealed he intends to walk away from football punditry in eight years' time, saying he wants to devote himself to community projects in his hometown of Chapeltown, Leeds.
The former England and Manchester City right-back, who retired from playing in 2019, has become one of the most recognisable faces in football broadcasting. He regularly appears as a pundit on Sky Sports, the BBC's Match of the Day and CBS Sports Golazo.
However, the 36-year-old announced earlier this summer that he plans to step away by 2034, and he outlined his intentions in detail to the Daily Telegraph.
Plans to give back to Chapeltown
Richards said: "I'll be out of all this by the time I turn 46. You won't see me on any mainstream media beyond the 2034 World Cup. That will be the last time I am on the BBC or Sky or CBS. I've told them all this and they think I'm joking. I'm not."
He added: "I've given so much of my life to football since leaving school at 14. But when the time comes, I want to make a difference to people's lives at a grassroots level – to help those who need it most, especially young people."
Richards explained his motivation: "I come from Chapeltown in Leeds. It's an area where there is so much talent, but a shortage of opportunity. I want to give something back. That's my aim. I've no idea what form that will take, yet. There's plenty of time to work that out."
He also said: "You see a lot of ex-footballers putting their names to foundations, which is great, but I want to do something more than giving money to charity or showing my face at an event once a year. Hopefully I can keep doing what I am doing for the next seven years – and just make sure I don't get cancelled before then!"
Roy Keane may leave first
Richards may not be the first of his Sky Sports colleagues to depart, however. Fellow pundit Roy Keane, known for his direct and sometimes brutal analysis, looks set to leave before him. The Manchester United legend revealed in August 2024 that he had no intention of staying in punditry for another decade.
During an appearance on the Stick to Football podcast to mark his 53rd birthday, Gary Neville asked Keane where he saw himself when he reaches 63.
"Hopefully, I'll be out of this rat race in about 12 months," Keane said with a smile. "A nice house somewhere, a bit of land, a few animals."
Jamie Carragher then asked Keane whether he envisaged himself still working as a football pundit in ten years' time, a suggestion Keane firmly dismissed.
He said: "Absolutely f***ing not. Jesus Christ, you must be joking. I'll struggle for the next 10 months doing this."
