Arsenal and Wales legend Aaron Ramsey has announced his retirement from football, leaving many celebrities around the world breathing a huge sigh of relief because of his infamous 'curse'
13:31, 07 Apr 2026Updated 13:31, 07 Apr 2026
Wales v Hungary UEFA Euro 2020 Qualifying Group E Cardiff City Stadium
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Aaron Ramsey has called time on his career(Image: PA Archive/PA Images)
Arsenal hero Aaron Ramsey has announced his retirement from football, to what we can only imagine is the relief of celebrities around the world.
The legendary Wales midfielder has called time on his 20-year long playing career, which saw him make 250 Premier League appearances and play 86 times for Wales. The man who scored the winning goal in two FA Cup finals has been without a club since his contract with Mexican side UNAM was ended by mutual consent last October.
Ramsey, 35, who took caretaker charge of his boyhood club Cardiff City as they battled in vain to survive relegation from the Championship last season, is mostly synonymous with Arsenal thanks to his exploits for the North London giants.
Aaron Ramsey
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Aaron Ramsey won the FA Cup three times with Arsenal
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He joined the Gunners in 2008 and left the Emirates Stadium in 2019 after picking up three FA Cup trophies to join Juventus, where he won the Serie A and Coppa Italia. He also lifted the Scottish Cup in a brief loan spell at Rangers.
However, football fans also claimed he was at the centre of a dark supposed ‘curse’ - leading to endless internet memes and jokes - after famous celebrities and political figures always seemed to die in the wake of him scoring a goal.
What is the Aaron Ramsey curse?
So what's this talk of an Aaron Ramsey curse? It's a bizarre online legend suggesting that whenever Ramsey hits the target, a famous face is fated to die soon after.
The Wales player has an unsettling knack for scoring crucial goals that seem to be followed by the passing of famous figures, sparking talk of "The Curse of Aaron Ramsey" or the "Ramsey Effect".
Aaron Ramsey
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Aaron Ramsey in his Juventus days(Image: SIPA USA/PA Images)
Of his 80 career goals, at least 29 have been followed by the death of a celebrity, leaving fans to wonder if the curse is real. For instance, scientist Stephen Hawking and comedian Ken Dodd passed away after Ramsey scored, fuelling speculation about the supposed curse.
Ramsey addressed the strange theory in a 2015 interview with Sport Magazine, dismissing it as "ridiculous". He said: "The most ridiculous rumour I've heard is that people die after I score. There have been loads of occasions where I've scored and somebody has died."
However, Ramsey also joked about the potential upside - referring to the deaths of the likes of Osama Bin Laden and Muammar Gaddafi - saying: "That's just a crazy rumour. Although I took out some baddies!"
Osama Bin Laden
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Osama Bin Laden was one of the 'baddies' Aaron Ramsey took out(Image: Getty Images)
Which stars are linked to the "curse"?
Ted Kennedy, August 25, 2009 – three days after he scored against Portsmouth
Andrés Monte, October 14, 2009 – two days after his first goal with Wales the admired Spanish football and basketball commentator Andrés Montes passed away
Osama Bin Laden, May 2, 2011 – a day after he scored against Manchester United
Steve Jobs, October 5, 2011 – three days after he scored against Tottenham Hotspur
Muammar Gaddafi, October 20, 2011 – a day after he scored against Marseille
Colonel Gaddafi - one of the 'baddies' seemingly hit by the curse
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Colonel Gaddafi - one of the 'baddies' seemingly hit by the curse(Image: AFP/Getty Images )
Whitney Houston, February 11, 2012 – a day after he scored against Sunderland
Ray Williams, March 22, 2013 and Boris Berezovsky March 23, Ramsey scores on March 21
Ken Norton, September 18, 2013 – Same day he scored against Marsellie
Paul Walker, November 30, 2013 – Same day he scored against Cardiff
Robin Williams, August 11, 2014 – the day after he scored against Manchester City
Rubin Carter, April 20, 2014 – Same day he scored against Hull City
David Bowie, January 10, 2016 – a day after he scored against Sunderland
David Bowie
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David Bowie died one day after Ramsey scored(Image: ullstein bild via Getty Images)
Alan Rickman, January 14 2016 – a day after he scored against Liverpool
Nancy Reagan, March 6, 2016 – a day after he scored against Tottenham
Nicky Hayden, May 22, 2017 – The day after he scored against Everton
Roger Moore, May 23, 2017 – Two days after he scored against Everton
Gregg Allman, May 27, 2017 – Same day he scored against Chelsea
Bruce Forsyth, August 18, 2017 – a week after he scored against Leicester
Ken Dodd, March 9, 2018 and Stephen Hawking March 14 – Ramsey scored on March 8 against AC Milan
Eric Bristow, April 5, 2018 – Same day as Ramsey scored against CSKA Moscow
British TV icon Bruce Forsyth
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British TV icon Bruce Forsyth(Image: No credit)
Burt Reynolds, September 6, 2018 – Same day he scored for Wales
Keith Flint / Luke Perry, March 4, 2019 – Two days after Ramsey scores against Tottenham
Kenneth Kaunda (Zambia's first president), June 17 2021 – two days after Ramsey scored for Wales against Turkey at Euro 2020
X users were quick to blame the 'curse' for his death, with one saying: "RIP to Kenneth Kaunda. Aaron Ramsey curse goes on."
June Brown, April 4, 2022 - EastEnders' Dot Cotton passed away the day after Ramsey scored the opening goal against Celtic on April 3
Olivia Newton-John, August 8, 2022 – Grease star Olivia Newton-John passed away the day after Ramsey scored against Toulouse in the 78th minute, just one minute after coming on the pitch.
Pope Francis
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Pope Francis died just days after Ramsey struck(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Steve Harwell, September 4, 2023 - Two days after scoring for Cardiff against Ipswich.
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Pope Francis, April 21, 2025 - Two days after Ramsey was appointed Cardiff manager.
Graham Greene, September 1, 2025 - One day after Ramsey's first goal for UNAM.
Giorgio Armani, September 4, 2025 - Five days after Ramsey scored for his Mexican club