Some of the best footballers of their generation have hung up their boots in 2025 – including former Liverpool, Manchester United and Real Madrid stars.
Several legendary ballers and cult heroes have announced their intentions to stop doing all those football lark and take a well-earned rest and that is absolutely fair enough.
We’ll keep this list updated as the retirements roll in. Here’s who we’ve said goodbye to as it stands.
Marcelo
Real Madrid’s left wing-back position was synonymous with Marcelo during their 2010s imperial phase.
Imagining someone other than the afro-haired Brazilian playing at the left-back position for Los Blancos was an immensely difficult task.
After staying loyal to Madrid for almost 15 years, Marcelo joined Fluminense in 2023 after a short stint with Olympiacos.
One of the very few players to win five Champions League titles with the same team, Marcelo’s name has gone down in the history books.
Pepe Reina
We genuinely thought Reina would go on playing forever, but the 42-year-old goalkeeper called time on his career in May 2025.
One of the best keepers of his generation, Reina began his career at Barcelona before joining Villarreal and then Liverpool in 2005, beginning an eight-year spell at Anfield.
He would make 394 appearances for the Reds, winning the FA Cup and League Cup and reaching the final of the 2007 Champions League.
After winning more trophies with Napoli and Bayern Munich, he would go onto play for AC Milan, Lazio, Aston Villa and Villarreal again before joining Como last summer.
Reina made a remarkable 954 club appearances in total across 25 years and was sent off in his final game for Como against Inter Milan.
He was given a standing ovation by both sets of fans. That’s nice.
Mats Hummels
Hummels announced in April 2025 that he would be ending his 18-year football career at the end of the season.
The veteran defender, who turned 36 last December, made a post on social media to announce that the 2024-2025 season with Roma would be his last.
Hummels, who played a key role in Germany’s victory in the 2014 World Cup, began his career in the Bayern Munich youth team before making his senior debut in 2007.
Known for his physical strength, well-timed tackles and aerial ability, Hummels made 508 competitive appearances for Borussia Dortmund and 118 for Bayern.
He is regarded as one of the best centre-backs in modern Bundesliga history.
Adam Lallana
Former England midfielder Lallana retired from playing at the age of 37.
Lallana, who won 34 caps for the Three Lions, returned to Southampton last season after making his name in his first spell there.
The midfielder’s emergence at St Mary’s earned him a move to Liverpool in 2014 and Lallana won both the Premier League and Champions League on Merseyside.
“I’m proud of the playing career I’ve had and have no regrets about any of it,” Lallana said upon ending his career in June 2025.
“I embrace all the highs and all the lows as they’ve shaped me into who I am.”
Jonny Evans
Evans retired from football after his Manchester United contract expired in May 2025.
One of Northern Ireland’s most decorated players, the 37-year-old made 240 appearances for United across two spells, winning three Premier League titles, a Champions League, and two FA Cups.
He also spent time at West Brom and Leicester, becoming one of the most underrated defenders of his generation.
There are rumours Evans will stay at Old Trafford in a staffing role next season.
Felipe Melo
Melo enjoyed a successful career before retiring at 41, winning 20 major honours at five clubs as well as the Confederations Cup in 2009.
Roberto Mancini once described him as a ‘warrior’ in midfield during his time at Inter Milan and he was an uncompromising midfielder who often took yellow cards for the team.
He rides off into the sunset after 800 club appearances, 258 yellow cards, 62 goals and stints at Inter Milan, Juventus, Galatasaray, Palmieras and Fluminense.
Toby Alderweireld
In November 2024, Alderweireld announced his retirement from professional football at the end of the 2024–25 season, after retiring from international football the previous year.
The former Tottenham and Atletico Madrid defender said “I can say with almost certainty that this is my last year.
“Sometimes I’m looking forward to my retirement, but on the other hand I also have a lot of ambition to accelerate with Antwerp.
“I will do that for another half year. In the meantime, I’m going to try and enjoy every moment”
Alderweireld was sadly unable to get Royal Antwerp into Europe during the final matches of his career.
Jan Vertonghen
Former Tottenham defender Vertonghen announced that he will retire from professional football at the end of the 2024-25 season back in March.
It comes a year after the Anderlecht captain called time on his international career with Belgium, retiring as the nation’s record appearance holder with 157 caps.
Vertonghen wrote himself into Spurs folklore during an eight-year spell in North London, making 315 appearances between 2012 and 2020.
He cited a daily struggle brought about by an accumulation of injuries as the reason for hanging up his boots – something which plagued the final years of his career.
Simon Kjaer
Kjaer has called time on an illustrious career at the top level aged 35, after enjoying spells at Sevilla, Lille, Fenerbache, AC Milan, Atalanta, Roma, Wolfsburg and Palermo.
His sole trophy came in 2021 as he won the Serie A title with Milan.
He also is one of the most-capped Danish players of all time, playing 132 times across four World Cups and two European Championships.
However, he is most well-known for his role in helping to stabilise Christian Eriksen, who collapsed on the pitch during their Euro 2020 campaign.
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Carlos Vela
Vela plied his trade with some of the finest clubs in Europe, like Arsenal and Real Sociedad, before embarking on a new challenge with Los Angeles FC in 2018.
After serving the American outfit for six seasons, he was without a club in 2025 and decided to call time on his career.
He played 72 times for Mexico and also scored 19 goals for his country.
Dwight Gayle
At the age of 35, Gayle decided to hang up his football boots in May 2025.
The striker who played for Crystal Palace, West Brom, Stoke and Derby announced his retirement after spending the final season of his career in Scotland with Hibs.
One of Rafa Benitez’s best signings at Newcastle, Gayle was instrumental in their promotion back to the Premier League in 2016-17, 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
Callejon officially announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 38.
A product of the famed Real Madrid academy, the midfielder played 78 times for the first team between 2011 and 2013, winning La Liga under Jose Mourinho.
The former Spain international had a distinguished career, playing for clubs such as Granada, Espanyol, Napoli and Fiorentina.