Heartbreak As Former England and Liverpool Winger, Stewart Downing Announces Retirement From Football

• Stewart Downing has called it quits with football as the former England international announced his retirement
• The 37-year-old featured for several top clubs in England including Liverpool, Middlesbrough, West Ham United and others
• Downing made a staggering 725 appearances in professional football across clubs and ended his England career with 35 caps for the Three Lions

PAY ATTENTION: Join Legit.ng Telegram channel! Never miss important updates!

After making a staggering 725 appearances in club football, former England international Stewart Downing has announced his retirement from football, Sky Sports reports.

The former Liverpool and Middlesbrough winger who also had spells with Aston Villa, West Ham and Blackburn has brought his 20-year professional career to an end, The Times reports.

The 37-year-old who was a part of England squads for the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2012 was capped 35 times by England.

He most recently spent a two-year spell with Championship club Blackburn, before leaving Ewood Park at the end of June when his contract expired.

Marcus Thuram player profile: Borussia, injury, contracts

Football

He started his career in 2001 with Middlesbrough playing 234 times for the club before joining Aston Villa following Middlesbrough’s relegation from the Premier League in 2009.

He went on to join Liverpool in 2011 and then a further two-year spell with West Ham followed from 2013.

Downing completed a return to Middlesbrough where he helped the club win promotion back to the top flight in 2016.

He featured in a further 170 times for the Teesside club, before his final move to Blackburn in 2019.

Arjen Robben retires

Holland winger Arjen Robben has, for a second time, called it quits from the game of football as he retires permanently after a stellar career, GOAL reports.

The 37-year-old had battled recurring injury problems at Dutch club Groningen and now feels it is time to finally call it quits.

The former Chelsea, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Holland star decided not to return to the club who are already preparing for the forthcoming season.

Tebogo Langerman's cars, net worth, houses, wife and salary

Football

He had called it quits in 2019 when he left German side Bayern Munich but rescinded his decision in 2020 making a return to play for Groningen.

Zidane’s headbutt statue acquired by Qatari museum

Legit.ng earlier reported that the 2006 World Cup final witnessed one of the most shocking, but, iconic moments in the history of football after France legend Zinedine Zidane delivered a headbutt into the chest of Italy’s Marco Materazzi.

Zidane was consequently sent off in the encounter and to commemorate the incident, Algerian artist Abdel Abdessemed constructed a giant bronze statue.

And after 15 years of the event, Bleacher Report are claiming that the 16-feet tall piece has been acquired by the Qatar Museum Authority.