10 big name footballers who have retired in 2024: Szczesny, Pepe, Kroos…

Some of the best footballers of their generation have hung up their boots in 2004 – including former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich stars.

Several legendary ballers and cult heroes have announced their intentions to stop doing all those football lark and take a well-earned rest and that is absolutely fair enough.

We’ll keep this list updated as the retirements roll in. Here’s who we’re saying goodbye to as it stands.

Wojciech Szczesny

Former Arsenal and Juventus goalkeeper Szczesny has retired at the surprisingly young age of 34.

“I didn’t just realise my dreams, I’ve arrived where my imagination wouldn’t even dare to take me,” Szczesny wrote on social media.

“I played the game at the highest level with the best players in history without ever feeling inferior.

“I’ve made friends for life, created unforgettable memories and met people who have made an incredible impact on my life. Everything that I have and everything that I am I owe to the beautiful game of football.”

Szczesny won two FA Cups and the 2014 Community Shield during his time at Arsenal, won bucket loads of trophies at Juventus and won 84 caps for Poland, playing at four European Championships and two World Cups.

“I gave the game 18 years of my life, every day, without excuses,” said Szczesny.

“Today, though my body still feels ready for challenges, my heart is not there anymore. I feel that right now it is time to give all of my attention to my family.”

Claudio Bravo

Former Barcelona, Manchester City and Chile goalkeeper Bravo announced his retirement in August 2024 at the age of 41.

“Hello everyone, through this video, I would like to share with you that I am going to leave professional football,” he said through a video posted on social media.

“I believe I have made the right decision, a well-considered decision, and one that has been thoroughly discussed with my family and those closest to me.

I am closing a very important chapter in my life, and it is also a moment to begin another stage in my life, a family stage that will be just as successful as this one, which brought us great satisfaction in every sense.”

Phil Jones

Jones has said he is targeting a career in management after officially announcing his playing retirement in August 2024.

The 32-year-old had not played since leaving Manchester United at the end of the 2022-23 season, with his last appearance coming 12 months earlier in a 3-0 win over Brentford.

Jones, who won 27 England caps, joined United from Blackburn in 2011 but struggled with injuries throughout his career.

“My career finished shorter than I would have liked,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live. “[I’m] glass half full. [I have] completed my A licence and I want to get out there and challenge myself in coaching.

“Ultimately I want to take charge of a team. I am determined to get there.”

Pepe

After a mammoth senior career spanning over 20 years which saw him win three Champions League titles with Real Madrid, the European Championship with Portugal and countless other honours, Pepe has finally hung up his boots aged 41.

The Portuguese defender has carved out a legacy as a tough tackling son of a gun who made it a nightmare for any forward who dared try and pass him, while also motivating his teammates wherever he went. A dying breed of player, they simply don’t come like Pepe anymore.

Timeless is an understatement. What a player.

Thiago Alcantara

Thiago announced his retirement in July 2024 after leaving Liverpool at the end of last season.

The 33-year-old midfielder, who also played for Barcelona, Bayern Munich and the Spanish national side, was dogged by injury problems during his time on Merseyside but remained a peerless passer of the football.

There are now rumours that Hansi Flick has been courting Thiago to join his coaching staff at Barcelona, but nothing has been confirmed yet.

Toni Kroos

One of the greatest midfielders of a generation, if not of all time, has retired from the game after Germany’s European Championship quarter-final defeat against Spain.

Kroos did win both La Liga and the Champions League during his final season at Real Madrid, but sadly success on home soil at Euro 2024 eluded him.

The German legend left a long announcement message on his Instagram account, part of which went like this:

“My ambition was always to finish my career at the peak of my performance level. From now on there is only one leading thought: go for 15!!! HALA MADRID AND NOTHING MORE!”

Right, anyone got a contact for a cheap pair of adiPURE 11Pros? That’s us spending the summer attempting geometrically gorgeous through balls down the park.

READ: An amazing XI of players that miss out in Toni Kroos’ best teammates XI

Leonardo Bonucci

Italy’s captain has won more Serie A titles than Burnley and Sheffield United combined have won Premier League games this season. Nine Scudetti to his name. More shields than the knights of the Round Table.

Last year, Bonucci announced that he would be retiring at the end of this season, but that was when he was still at Juventus, before his little jaunt at Union Berlin and, now, Fenerbahce.

There’s been no update to his plans as far as we can see, and his Fenerbahce contract does run out at the end of the season, so it’s safe to assume he’s still planning on hanging up his boots.

We shall see, though. The Italian’s career has taken an impulsive turn as of late, and who knows what he’s thinking right now?

READ NEXT: 7 former FIFA ballers we can’t believe are not retired: Emenike, Alessandrini…

TRY A QUIZ: Can you name every Man Utd signing since Sir Alex Ferguson retired?

Ryan Bertrand

Former Chelsea, Southampton and England left-back Bertrand announced his retirement from football in June 2024.

The 34-year-old, who started in the 2012 Champions League final, had been without a club since leaving the Foxes last summer.

“I will be retiring from football,” Bertrand announced live on Sky Sports.

“It’s been a little while but I get asked a lot of questions – ‘When are you coming back, what are you doing?’

“So, just to make that official I am retiring and very much looking forward to the next steps.”

Joe Hart

Hart is a Manchester City legend, there’s no getting around it. He gave 12 years of service and brought two Premier League titles to the blue half of Manchester.

The England keeper has just announced his retirement from the game after a three-year stint at Celtic, which he’s loved. In fact, to use the man’s own words, “What an absolute club.”

That doesn’t make any sense whatsoever but we get what he means.

We’d completely forgotten about his 2016-17 loan spell at Torino. The thought of Joe Hart cutting about Torino, asking the locals what the Italian word for deeceeeent is, is turning our brain into a swirly soup.

Got podcast hose written all over him, does Harty. You heard it here first.

TRY A QUIZ: Can you name every member of England’s squad for Euro 2016?

Marouane Fellaini

The Big Belgian called it a day in February of this year, stating, simply, “I am so grateful to have played the sport I love at the highest level.”

That’s lovely. Let us give one last shoutout to Marouane Fellaini, winner of headers, bestubbled protege of Moyesy, and crafter of one of the game’s greatest barnets.