James Milner: Premier League record appearance holder announces retirement at age of 40 after 24-year top-flight career

James Milner has announced his retirement from football at the age of 40.

Milner played 24 seasons in the top flight having made his debut in 2002, going on to make a record-breaking 658 Premier League appearances.

Milner, who has spent the last three years at Brighton, began his career at boyhood club Leeds where he made his Premier League debut as a 16-year-old. He also played for Newcastle, Aston Villa, Manchester City and Liverpool.

Brighton offered Milner another year on the expiry of his contract this summer; however, discussions were held but the player decided it was the right time to retire.

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Milner won three Premier League titles - two with Manchester City and one with Liverpool - as well as the Champions League with the Reds, and two FA Cups, two League Cups, a UEFA Super Cup, Club World Cup and many others across more than two decades in the game.

"From making my debut for Leeds United, who I supported growing up, at the age of 16 and becoming the Premier League's youngest scorer, I could never have dreamed of the journey I've been on, right through to not being able to lift my foot last year and then coming back to be part of Brighton qualifying for Europe for the second time in their history at the age of 40," Milner said.

"To have gone on to represent Newcastle, Aston Villa, Man City, Liverpool and Brighton and not forgetting a memorable month at Swindon, has been a huge privilege

"I've been fortunate enough to experience some unforgettable moments, from fighting for survival to winning trophies, playing in Europe, and representing my country. But more than anything, it is the people and friendships I've made throughout my time in the game I will cherish forever.

"To my family, thank you for every sacrifice, every mile travelled and every moment of encouragement. None of this would have been possible without you.

"I leave the game with immense pride, gratitude and memories that will stay with me for the rest of my life. Football has given me far more than I could have ever imagined, and I will always be thankful for the opportunities it provided."

After he left Leeds in 2004, spells at Newcastle and Aston Villa followed before joining Manchester City in 2010, where he lifted two Premier League titles, an FA Cup and League Cup.

A move to Liverpool in 2015 saw Milner secure another Premier League crown along with an FA Cup and League Cup and he was part of the Reds' Champions League-winning side in 2019.

After eight seasons at Anfield, the midfielder joined Brighton on a free transfer in June 2023 and he surpassed Gareth Barry's previous Premier League appearance record of 653 earlier this year.

On the international stage, Milner won 61 caps for England and was in the squad for two European Championships and two World Cups. He made 964 appearances for club and country overall.

Milner's Premier League career in stats

Milner played 48 times for his boyhood club Leeds, where he became at the time the Premier League's youngest goalscorer, aged 16 years and 356 days, and second-youngest player. He is now third on the goalscorer list behind Max Dowman and James Vaughan.

He made 94 appearances for Newcastle and 100 for Villa, 27 of them on loan in the 2005-06 season before joining permanently in 2008.

His longest and most successful spells came with five seasons at Manchester City, where he made 147 appearances and won two Premier League titles, and eight at Liverpool, featuring 230 games and a third title.

He played 39 times for Brighton after joining in the summer of 2023, with the 2024-25 season interrupted by injuries and limited to four appearances.

He has scored 56 goals - 19 for Liverpool, 13 for City, 12 for Villa, six for Newcastle, five for Leeds and one for Brighton - and added 90 assists to rank 10th on the all-time Premier League list.

(c) Sky Sports 2026: James Milner: Premier League record appearance holder announces retirement at age of 40 after 24-year top-flight career