Former England midfielder, James Milner, has brought the curtain down on a remarkable Premier League career spanning 24 years, announcing his retirement from professional football at the age of 40.
Milner leaves the game after three seasons with Brighton, where his contract expired at the end of the campaign.
His retirement follows a historic career that saw him represent six different clubs in England’s top division and become the player with the most Premier League appearances.
The veteran midfielder set the all-time appearance record in February and finishes his top-flight career with 658 matches, making his final outing for Brighton on the last day of the 2025-26 season.
Milner began his professional journey with Leeds United and went on to enjoy major success with both Manchester City and Liverpool.
He won three Premier League titles during his career, lifting two with City and another with Liverpool, while also helping the Merseyside club secure the UEFA Champions League trophy in 2019.
At international level, Milner earned 61 caps for England after making his debut in 2009 during his time at Aston Villa. He represented the Three Lions at two FIFA World Cups and two European Championships before retiring from international football.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to experience some unforgettable moments, from fighting for survival to winning trophies, playing in Europe, and representing my country at two European Championships and two World Cups,” read a statement by Milner, external on social media (via BBC Sport).
“But more than anything, it’s the people and friendships I’ve made throughout the game that I’ll cherish forever.”
Milner made his Premier League debut for Leeds as a 16-year-old in November 2002, becoming one of the youngest players ever to feature in the competition at the time.
Just a month later, he etched his name into the record books by becoming the youngest goalscorer in Premier League history. He now sits third on that list behind Max Dowman and James Vaughan.
Although injuries restricted his involvement during the 2024-25 campaign, Milner returned to feature in 22 matches across all competitions in 2025-26 and played a key role as Brighton secured European qualification for only the second time in the club’s history.
“From making my debut for Leeds United, who I supported growing up, at the age of 16 and becoming the Premier League’s youngest scorer, I could never have dreamed of the journey I’ve been on, right through to not being able to lift my foot last year and then coming back to be part of Brighton qualifying for Europe for the second time in their history at the age of 40,” he added.
