For a football player, retiring can be a challenging experience. Leaving behind something you are passionate about can be heart-wrenching, especially when the physical demands of the game outpace the body’s ability to recover, despite years of dedicated care and discipline.
Factors that could lead a player to retire include, age, injuries, loss of motivation, financial security, new career opportunity, lack of playing time, etc.
As an athlete, how well the body is taken care of determines the longevity of a career; take players like Ryan Giggs, for example. The former Manchester United midfielder who retired at 40, practiced Yoga to maintain flexibility and avoid injuries.
Also, Cristiano Ronaldo, during his medicals for a transfer to Juventus, doctors were astonished to find out that the then 33 years had a 7% body fat compared to other professionals who have a higher 11% body fat.
His relentless commitment to fitness and nutrition underscores how Ronaldo’s meticulous care for his body has been a cornerstone of his ability to maintain elite performance well into his late 30s, setting a benchmark for longevity in professional football.
It’s no surprise that the 40-year-old, five-time Ballon d’Or winner continues to excel and could play football for as long as he desires. However, age remains a critical factor in football, as it often signals the inevitable end of even the most illustrious careers.
Here are six football players who are ending their careers at the end of the season.
Mats Hummels
The veteran defender announced in April 2025 that he would be ending his 18-year football career at the end of the season.
Hummels, who turned 36 in December made a post on his official X page to announce that the 2024/2025 season with AS Roma will be his last.
The German professional, who played a key role in Germany’s victory in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, began his career in the Bayern Munich youth team before making his senior debut in 2007.
After making his debut in 2008, he was sent out on loan to German rivals Borussia Dortmund, and a year later, he permanently signed for the club in a deal worth €4 million.
While at Dortmund, he was an integral part of the team that won the Bundesliga title twice consecutively under then-head coach Jürgen Klopp.
After spending 8 years with Dortmund, Mats Hummels returned to Bayern in 2016, he spent 3 years with them and won the Bundesliga title in each season at the club.
But after a fallout with the Bayern head coach, he returned to Dortmund and played a key role in helping them reach the Champions League final.
Known for his physical strength, well-timed tackles and aerial ability, Hummels, after making 508 competitive appearances for Dortmund and 118 for Bayern Munich, is regarded as one of the best centre-backs in the Bundesliga.
In September 2024, he left Germany for the first time in his career and joined Italian club AS Roma under head coach Daniele De Rossi, as a free agent on a one-year deal.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Manchester United’s 18 League Losses: Is Ruben Amorim the Right Man for the Job?
Pepe Reina
The 42-year-old goalkeeper, whose professional football career spans 26 years, from his debut with Barcelona in 1999, has decided to hang up his boots and gloves, having played over 1000 games.
The Spaniard, who played 12 games for Serie A side Como, announced on May 20 2025 that he would retire from professional football at the end of the season.
In an unfortunate turn of events during his last game for his side against Inter Milan, Reina was judged to have brought down on-rushing striker Mehdi Taremi as he tried to clear the ball and was shown a straight red card by referee Davide Massa.
The Spaniard, whose remonstrations fell on deaf ears, was applauded off the pitch by both sets of fans.
The goalkeeper who was part of the Spanish squad that won the 2010 World Cup, and the European Championship in 2008 and 2012 started his career at Barcelona.
He then had a short stint at Villarreal before moving to Liverpool in 2005, where he spent eight years at Anfield, making 394 appearances for the Reds and keeping 177 clean sheets, also winning the FA Cup and League Cup.
He won three consecutive Golden Glove awards in the 2004/05-2007/08 seasons. He also had spells around Europe with Bayern Munich, Napoli, AC Milan, Aston Villa, Lazio, Villarreal and his last club Como.
He will be fondly remembered by football-loving fans but also by Liverpool faithful for his heroics in two penalty shootouts that helped the club win silverware.
Jan Vertonghen
The Belgian, while on the books of Anderlecht, has decided to end his career at the end of the 2024/2025 season. The defender who announced his retirement in March, began his career in 2006 after making his senior debut with Ajax, and he went on to make over 880 appearances in 19 seasons.
Vertonghen, 37, who played six matches this season in the Belgian Pro League, enjoyed a career that saw him lift the Eredivisie title twice in the 2010/11 and 2011/12 seasons, and also won the KNVB Cup on two occasions and after a move to Benfica won the Portuguese League in the 2022/2023 season.
The former Tottenham defender between 2012-2020 made 315 appearances for the Spurs and was twice named in the PFA Player of the Year, as well as helping the club reach the Champions League final in 2019.
The Belgian who retired from international football in 2024 was part of the Belgian golden generation that took his country to a third-place finish in the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
With 154 caps and 10 goals for Belgium, he remains the country’s most-capped player of all time.
MORE FOR YOU: Napoli Edge Inter Milan for Seria A Title Glory
Dwight Gayle
At the age of 35, the former Newcastle attacker has decided to hang up his football boots.
The Englishman, who was on the books of Crystal Palace, West Bromwich Albion, Stoke City and Derby County announced his retirement on the 17th of May 2025.
Gayle, who was one of Rafa Benitez’s signings during his time at St.James, was instrumental in Newcastle’s promotion back to the English Premier League, scoring 23 goals in the Championship.
At the end of his time at Newcastle, he scored a total of 34 goals in all competitions, making 122 appearances for the black and white.
His career spanned 18 years, during which he scored 150 goals and made 400 appearances.
Jose Callejon
The former Napoli winger, at the age of 38, has officially announced his retirement from professional football. The former Espanyol forward’s career cut across 19 years.
Callejon who is a product of the famed Real Madrid Castilla (reserve team), also played for the first team where he made 77 appearances from 2011 to 2013, winning the La Liga in 2011/2012 and the Spanish Super Cup in 2012.
He also made his senior debut for Spain in 2014, playing five games.
The former Spanish international had a distinguished career, playing for clubs such as Granada, Espanyol, Napoli and Fiorentina.
Over the course of his career, he participated in a total of 737 matches, scoring 152 goals and providing 125 assists.
While in Italy, he achieved notable success with Napoli, winning two Coppa Italia titles (2013/2014 and 2019/2020).
Johnny Evans
Jonny Evans, 37, has retired from football after his Manchester United contract expired.
One of Northern Ireland’s most decorated players, Evans made 240 appearances for United across two spells, winning three Premier League titles, a Champions League, and two FA Cups.
Last season, he played 13 matches for United, helping them reach the UEFA Europa League final.
With 107 caps, he ranks as Northern Ireland’s fourth most-capped player. After his first United stint, he spent three years at West Bromwich Albion, where he helped them avoid relegation and five at Leicester City, where he won the 2021 FA Cup.
In his second United spell, he played a key role in securing the 2023/24 FA Cup.
Emerging from Manchester United’s youth academy in 2006, Johnny Evans was a key figure under Alex Ferguson for his versatility and composure as a centre-back.
His game-reading ability and crucial tackles, complementing Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand, made him a trusted and vital squad player during a trophy-laden era.
Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO / PRiME Media Images
Recording Date: 25.05.2025