Former England midfielder James Milner has officially announced his retirement from football.
The 40-year-old has spent the last three seasons with Brighton, having begun his career at his boyhood club, Leeds. Throughout his career, he has played an impressive 24 seasons in the Premier League.
Milner made history by breaking the record for the most Premier League appearances while playing for Brighton against Brentford in February, finishing his career with a total of 658 games.
In a heartfelt statement on Instagram, Milner expressed, “After 24 seasons in the Premier League, it feels like the right time to conclude my playing career. From making my debut for Leeds, the club I cherished while growing up, at just 16 and becoming the Premier League’s youngest scorer, I could never have imagined the journey I’ve had—especially returning to help Brighton secure European qualification for the second time in their history at 40.”
“I’ve been lucky enough to experience some unforgettable moments, from the struggles of relegation battles to winning trophies, playing at a European level, and representing my country in two European Championships and two World Cups. However, above all, it’s the friendships and connections I’ve made throughout the sport that I will cherish the most.”
“I leave the game with a deep sense of pride, gratitude, and memories that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. Football has given me more than I could have ever hoped for, and I will always be grateful for the opportunities I’ve had.”
Top Appearance Leaders
Milner is one of only four players to surpass 600 Premier League appearances, joining an elite group where Gareth Barry holds the record of 653 appearances across stints with Aston Villa, Manchester City, Everton, and West Brom.
Ryan Giggs made 632 appearances for Manchester United, while Frank Lampard accumulated 609 appearances—429 of which were for Chelsea, with additional times at West Ham and City.
Interestingly, no goalkeepers are part of the 600 club, with David James, the former goalkeeper for Liverpool, Villa, West Ham, City, and Portsmouth, ranking fifth all-time with 572 appearances.
The remainder of the top ten includes Gary Speed (535), Emile Heskey (514), Mark Schwarzer (514), Jamie Carragher (508), and Phil Neville (505). Three other players have also crossed the 500 games milestone: Rio Ferdinand and Steven Gerrard, each with 504, and Sol Campbell with 503.
With Ashley Young (485) also retiring this summer after Ipswich’s promotion, Jordan Henderson of Brentford currently holds the title for the leading active Premier League player with 463 appearances.
Giggs, Carragher, and Gerrard are the only players to have made over 500 appearances for a single club, while Barry retains the record for Premier League appearances for Aston Villa with 365.
Barry also stands far ahead with 54,439 minutes played in the Premier League, while Milner ranks 12th with 40,876 minutes, according to the league’s official statistics.
Milner’s Career Overview
Milner made 48 appearances for his childhood club Leeds, where he became the Premier League’s youngest goalscorer at 16 years and 356 days, and he is still recognized as the second-youngest player ever, following James Vaughan (16 years, 271 days).
He went on to make 94 appearances for Newcastle and 100 for Aston Villa, including a loan period during the 2005-06 season before joining Villa permanently in 2008.
His most productive periods were at Manchester City, where he won two Premier League titles over five seasons with 147 appearances, and at Liverpool, where he featured in 230 matches and secured a third title over eight seasons.
After joining Brighton in the summer of 2023, Milner played 39 matches, although injuries limited his participation during the 2024-25 season to just four games.
Throughout his career, he scored a total of 56 goals—19 for Liverpool, 13 for City, 12 for Villa, six for Newcastle, five for Leeds, and one for Brighton—and provided 90 assists, placing him 10th on the all-time Premier League assists list.