Theo Walcott, 34, has announced his retirement from sports, capping a career that included 47 England caps and 563 club matches. After leaving Southampton at the end of the previous season, the former Arsenal and England winger, who scored more than 100 goals for Arsenal and earned 47 England caps, declared his retirement from the game.
After 563 club appearances, three FA Cup victories, two Community Shield victories, and 563 club appearances, Walcott announced his retirement via social media. Walcott stated in a touching video that was shared on social media:
“The first moment I put my football boots on aged 10 was a special journey for me. From playing in the park with friends to performing in some of the biggest stadiums in front of huge crowds across the world”
He further wrote in the post to thank all his fans and loved ones for the incredible support shown to him throughout his career. He also extended his gratitude to all of the players he shared the football pitch with and created so many unforgettable memories.
The entirety of Walcott’s career was spent in north London with Arsenal when he joined the team in January 2006 at the age of 16 from Southampton for an initial $5m increasing to £12m. Walcott scored 129 goals across all competitions. The former winger for Southampton, Everton, and Arsenal amassed 80 goals in 397 Premier League matches.
Despite not playing for the Gunners in the second half of the 2005–2006 season, Sven-Goran Eriksson sensationally named him to England’s World Cup team that summer. When he played in a friendly victory against Hungary in May 2006, Walcott, then 17 years and 75 days old, made history as England’s youngest player. He scored eight times for his nation, including a hat-trick in a 2008 World Cup qualification match against Croatia that made him the youngest player in Croatian history to score three goals in a single match.
