Tag Archives: Retires

Former England, Arsenal and Chelsea left-back Ashley Cole has announced his playing retirement from football.

Cole, 38, was out of contract at Derby County at the end of the 2018-19 season and says he is now focused on coaching.

He made his professional debut for Arsenal in 1999 and went on to represent Crystal Palace on loan, Chelsea, Roma, LA Galaxy and Derby.

“After hard thinking it was time to hang up my boots and look forward to my next chapter,” Cole told Sky Sports.

Cole said he is currently taking qualifications with a view to move into a coaching role.

The London-born defender earned 107 caps for England and is the most decorated footballer in FA Cup history, having lifted the trophy seven times.

He also won the Premier League twice with Arsenal – including the 2003-04 season in which the Gunners went unbeaten – and once with Chelsea after moving to Stamford Bridge in 2006.

Cole won the Champions League with Chelsea in 2011-12 and the Europa League the following season.

After joining Derby County in January, he worked under the management of his former Chelsea team-mate Frank Lampard and helped the club to the Championship play-off final, where they were beaten by Aston Villa.

Iconic

Congratulations to Ashley Cole on an incredible career. Enjoy your retirement – and good luck with whatever comes next! #ASRoma pic.twitter.com/ogR54UpCY9

— AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) August 18, 2019

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Former Real Madrid, Inter Milan and Netherlands midfielder Wesley Sneijder has retired after a 17-year career.

The 35-year-old played a Dutch record 134 times for his country and featured in the 2010 World Cup final.

In a trophy-laden career he won a La Liga title in Spain with Real Madrid and went on to win Serie A, the Champions League and the Coppa Italia treble at Inter Milan in 2009-10.

Sneijder has taken up a new role with his hometown club FC Utrecht.

“Now I’ve retired from football I want a nice place to share my memories. My connection to the town is big,” Sneijder told the Dutch club’s YouTube channel.

A product of the Ajax youth system, Sneijder won the Eredivisie title and two Dutch Cups in Amsterdam before switching to Real Madrid for £23m in 2007.

He helped the Spanish giants win the league in his first season at the Bernabeu and moved on to Italy to become a key figure in Jose Mourinho’s Inter side that won the treble.

His club career in Europe also took him to Galatasaray in Turkey and French club Nice before he finished playing at Al Gharafa in Qatar’s top-flight.

On the international stage Sneijder collected a World Cup runners-up medal in 2010 in South Africa as the Oranje were beaten by Spain in the final.

His displays earned him the Silver Ball for the tournament’s second best player behind Uruguay’s Diego Forlan and four years later he helped Louis van Gaal’s side finish third in Brazil.

Serena Williams retired with a back injury in the final of the the Rogers Cup in Toronto, handing the title to Canadian teenager Bianca Andreescu.

Williams, 37, was left in tears after suffering back spasms as 19-year-old Andreescu comforted her courtside.

The American was a break down at 1-3 in the first set when she withdrew.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t do it today, I tried,” said the 23-time Grand Slam champion. “It’s been a tough year, but we’ll keep going.”

Andreescu, who won her first WTA title at Indian Wells earlier this year, becomes the first Canadian to win the Rogers Cup women’s singles title since 1969.

“Serena, you made me cry. I know how it is to pull out of tournaments, it’s not easy,” she said.

“This wasn’t the way I expected to win. You are truly a champion. I’ve watched you win so many times, you are truly a champion on and off the court.

“I’m speechless right now. This has been a dream come true.”

Williams’ only previous retirement in a singles final came at the Rogers Cup in 2000 – the year Andreescu was born.

Williams was seeking to win her first title since returning to competition in 2018 after the birth of her daughter.

The US Open, where Williams will hope to win her 24th Grand Slam title, starts on 26 August.

She reached the Wimbledon final last month – losing to Simona Halep – but struggled with a knee injury earlier in the year.