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James Milner has announced his retirement. The 40-year-old, who has spent the past three years at Brighton, began his career at Leeds, his boyhood club, and has played 24 seasons in the Premier League.
Milner broke the record for the most Premier League appearances while playing for Brighton against Brentford in February, and ends his career with a total of 658. He played 61 times for England.
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“After 24 seasons in the Premier League, it feels like the right time to bring an end to my playing career,” Milner said on Instagram. “From making my debut for Leeds, 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.”
Milner began his career with Leeds in 2002, becoming the Premier League’s youngest goalscorer aged 16 years and 356 days. Spells at Newcastle and Aston Villa followed before he joined Manchester City in 2010, where he lifted two Premier League titles, an FA Cup and League Cup.
After a move to Liverpool in 2015, Milner secured another Premier League title along with an FA Cup and League Cup and he was part of their Champions League-winning side in 2019.
After eight seasons at Anfield, Milner joined Brighton on a free. He won 61 England caps. He made 964 appearances for club and country.
Milner, who also had a loan at Swindon, said: “I’ve been fortunate enough to experience some unforgettable moments, from fighting for survival to winning trophies, playing in Europe, and representing my country, England, at two European Championships and two World Cups. But more than anything, it’s the people and friendships I’ve made throughout the game that I’ll cherish forever.”
