The passage of time stops for no mortal being and every footballer – even Zlatan Ibrahimovic or Cristiano Ronaldo – knows they cannot continue playing forever. So we created a list of 13 Big name players who have retired in 2022.

We've taken a look at 13 notable names and familiar faces who have decided to hang up their boots in 2022. So let us now take a look at 13 Big name players who have retired in 2022.

Jack Wilshere

Wilshere's decision to call it quits will be a bit of a gut punch for those that can recall him running rings around Xavi and Iniesta when he was a teenager. For a certain younger generation, he'll be the first retired footballer they remember breaking through as a rising star.

The lengthy statement he published on Twitter is quite stirring. Bit dusty in here, isn't it?

Jermain Defoe

Defoe is absolutely loved up in Sunderland, as much for the goals he scored as the bond he forged with the community.

Unfortunately, his fairytale return to the Stadium of Light back in January didn't quite turn out as planned. The 39-year-old only made seven appearances (two starts) and failed to score a goal, eventually calling it quits on his career a few weeks early as it became evident this was one job too far.

Still, Sunderland went up through the play-offs in the end, so all's well that end's well.

Mousa Dembele

One of the most aesthetically pleasing midfielders in Premier League history, unfortunately injuries denied Dembele the chance to keep marauding around the pitch into his thirties.

He was only 31 when he left Tottenham for Chinese Super League club Guangzhou Evergrande in January 2019. Three years later he announced he was done, seeing out his contract and rejecting a renewal offer in order to spend more time with his family.

Mark Noble

Get a few pints in any West Ham fan and get them onto the subject of Mark Noble and you're certain to get an impassioned rant about what a disgrace it was that he never got an England cap.

One-club legends like this are a dying breed.

Martin Skrtel

The Slovakian surprisingly only won one League Cup across his eight years of service to Liverpool, but he enjoyed something of a late-career swansong after departing Anfield for Besiktas back in 2016.

He went on to win the Turkish Super Lig title in the 2019-20 season – not with Besiktas, but with upstarts Istanbul Basaksehir – and bowed out earlier this year after captaining Spartak Trnava to the Slovak Cup.

Adebayo Akinfenwa

The biggest – literally and figuratively – cult hero in Football League history, the one and only finally Adebayo Akinfenwa called it a day just days after his 40th birthday.

The Beast represented 14 different clubs and scored 233 goals in 794 appearances in a career that saw him start out back in 2001 at Lithusia outfit FK Atlantas, before playing in the Welsh Premier League with Barry Town and years of grafting away in the second, third and fourth tiers of the English league pyramid.

Fittingly enough, Wembley Stadium was the stage for his goodbye, albeit not quite as planned, a late substitute in the League One Play-Off final defeat to Sunderland.

Scott Brown

One of the defining figures of Scottish football over the past couple of decades, Brown went on to make over 500 appearances in the Scottish Premiership, lifting 10 league titles and no fewer than a further 12 cups across 14 unforgettable seasons with Celtic.

"It's a sad day to see him retire but he retires with a huge legacy behind him – as a football player, as a Celtic player, as a Celtic captain and a Celtic legend," the club's current captain Callum McGregor in a tribute video from the club.

"I wish him all the best in his next chapter but what a legacy he leaves behind."

Having seen out the final year of his career as a player-coach at Aberdeen, Broony has since been announced as the manager of Fleetwood Town after announcing his retirement.

Carlos Tevez

El Apache's rollercoaster footballer career looks set to continue, having been recently appointed as manager of Argentinian club Rosario Central only a matter of weeks after announcing his retirement.

Aleksandar Kolarov

Imagine the sheer fear of standing in a wall and seeing Kolarov standing over the ball, ready to take a free-kick.

Dozens of Serie A defenders have been spared that nightmare next season and beyond. The Serbian has called it a day at the age of 36 after making just three substitute appearances last season.

We wonder what he has planned for Christmas this year…

Bruno Alves

One of those names you kind of assumed would just keep on playing forever, the eternal Bruno Alves has finally called it quits after a short stint in Greece with Apollon Smyrnis.

The centre-back was capped 96 times by Portugal and won league titles in Portugal, Russia and Fenerbahce. Football's evidently in his blood, as days after announcing his playing career was over he was appointed as the new sporting director at AEK Athens.

Davide Santon

The former Newcastle and Inter full-back has hung up his boots at the age of 31. He's only made a total of 42 Serie A appearances for Roma since 2018 and suffered through years of injury hell.

"The left knee is just gone, my right knee had 3 surgeries and cartilage removed," he said.

"I didn't turn anyone down, I was never going to pass a medical," he responded to accusations that he rejected moves away from Roma.

Lucas Barrios

The Paraguayan journeyman made over 100 appearances for Borussia Dortmund back when they were at their title-winning pomp under Jurgen Klopp.

He left the Bundesliga club over a decade ago but has kept plugging away, having turned out for Guangzhou Evergrande, Spartak Moscow and Montpellier since, eventually returning to South America, moving around frequently to take his total tally of clubs represented on his native continent to 16.

Barrios has just announced his retirement at the age of 37. You'll imagine he'll have a few frequent flyer points to use up now.

Martin Hinteregger

A strange and unexpected one, this.

Hinteregger is only 29 and has a year remaining on his contract Eintracht Frankfurt contract, while he played a key role as they won the Europa League last term.

"Last autumn I'd already started to think about retiring at the end of the season. I was in a difficult period on the pitch: my performances were shaky. The wins didn't feel as good anymore, and every defeat hurt twice as much," he explained in a statement on Frankfurt's official website.

The decision comes shrouded in controversy following the discovery of his personal links to an alleged neo-Nazi figure in Germany.

"Some emotional and perhaps ill-advised words from me have caused irritation and I would like to apologise for that. I regret that very much," he added in the statement.

"To make it clear once again: I condemn right-wing, intolerant and inhuman ideas in the strongest possible terms. Those who know me know that."

With this, we complete our list of 13 Big name players who have retired in 2022. Follow Sportz Point.

A remarkable crop of young talent continues to grace the football world in 2024, with under-21 players attracting enormous attention and high prices. In addition to being the sport's future, these up-and-coming talents are already having a big influence on their teams and the global scene. 

These U21 players are not only influencing the success of their clubs but also changing the economics of contemporary football as transfer markets soar to previously unheard-of heights. Let's take a look at the players leading the list.

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Lamine Yamal- €181M

Various international women's football players have cemented themselves in history books by achieving remarkable records. At the forefront is Canada's Christine Sinclair, an iconic figure in women's football

This collection of players and their impressive accomplishments underscore the development of women's football and the extraordinary talent that has emerged within the sport over the years. Let’s take a closer look at these stellar performers

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Babra Bander: Zambia- 7 

From the streets of Lusaka to the global stage, Barbra Banda’s journey is a testament to determination and raw talent. Born in Zambia’s capital, Banda started playing football at the tender age of seven. But her early sporting prowess wasn’t confined to just football.

Inspired by renowned Zambian boxer Catherine Phiri, Banda also dabbled in boxing at 14, quickly making a name for herself. She dominated the amateur scene, and after winning every bout and seeing other fighters hesitant to face her, Banda turned professional, where she won all five of her matches. However, football eventually took center stage in her life.

In October 2018, Banda signed with Spain's first division club, EDF Logroño, becoming the first Zambian woman to play football in Europe. Her career continued to soar when, in March 2024, she joined the Orlando Pride in the United States, signing a four-year contract that would keep her with the club until 2027.

Her impact on the international stage began early. Banda played for Zambia’s U-17 women’s team at the 2014 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, turning 14 during the tournament. Two years later, on March 6, 2016, she made her senior team debut in a Women’s Nations Cup qualifier against Namibia.

The peak of her career came at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. Banda captained the Zambian national team as they made their debut appearance at the prestigious tournament. She became the first woman to score consecutive hat-tricks in Olympic history, netting three goals in a 3-10 loss to the Netherlands, she scored another three in a 4-4 draw against China. These performances also made her the first woman to score two hat-tricks in a single Olympic tournament.

Read Also: I didn't set a date or a deadline": Lionel Messi hints at retirement after hat-trick against BoliviaFIFA World Cup 2026: Teams qualified so far

Michelle Akers: United States of America- 7

🇺🇸 @MichelleAkers10
👕 No10 in 1999, 1995 and 1991

All-time #FIFAWWC record
Games: 13
Goals: 12 pic.twitter.com/XlnsSkLXAe

— FIFA Women's World Cup (@FIFAWWC) June 1, 2024

The name Michelle Akers is synonymous with U.S. women’s soccer dominance. With seven career hat-tricks, Akers helped the U.S. win the inaugural 1991 FIFA Women’s World Cup, leading the tournament with 10 goals, including five in a single game.

Her leading the team was crucial to the U.S. women's team securing its first-ever world title, and she later played a vital role in the 1999 World Cup and 1996 Olympics victories. 

Akers was also the lead scorer in the inaugural FIFA Women's World Cup in China in 1991. The U.S. women's team defeated Norway 2–1 in the final with Akers scoring both goals.

Ali Al-Biski: Libya - 7

Ali Al-Biski, a former Libyan footballer, played as a striker and holds the record as Libya's all-time top scorer despite the nation’s limited participation in FIFA events during his time. He led the Libyan Premier League in scoring twice—first in 1965 with Al-Madina SC, and again in 1968 with Al Ahli Tripoli. He recorded seven hat-tricks for the national team.

Pelé: Brazil - 7

Edson Arantes do Nascimento, famously known as Pelé, was a Brazilian forward and a football icon, widely hailed as one of the greatest players in history. With a Guinness World Record for 1,279 goals in 1,363 games (including friendlies), Pelé was named Athlete of the Century by the IOC in 1999 and featured in Time magazine’s 100 most influential people of the 20th century. He debuted for Santos at 15 and for Brazil at 16, winning three World Cups (1958, 1962, 1970) and scoring seven hat-tricks for Brazil.

Sándor Kocsis: Hungary - 7

Sándor Kocsis, a Hungarian striker, played for Ferencvárosi TC, Budapest Honvéd, Young Fellows Zürich, and FC Barcelona. After relocating to Spain post-1956 Hungarian Revolution, Kocsis joined Barcelona’s squad. He led the 1954 World Cup with a record 11 goals, scoring 23 times for Hungary that year—a single-year record. Kocsis was also the first player to achieve two hat-tricks in a World Cup.

Cristiane: Brazil- 8

Brazilian forward Cristiane stands alongside the greats, boasting eight hat-tricks throughout her career. A prolific goal scorer, she played a key role in Brazil's silver medal triumphs at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics. Cristiane has participated in five FIFA Women’s World Cups and four Olympics, with her most recent hat-trick coming in Brazil’s 3-0 victory over Jamaica at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Ali Daei: Iran - 8

Iranian striker and former national team captain, Ali Daei, was renowned as the world’s top scorer in official internationals per the IFFHS, netting 20 goals in 1996. During the 1998 World Cup qualifiers, he scored nine goals over 17 matches, amassing 38 goals in 52 appearances by that time. In 2004, he became the first male to score 100 international goals, reaching 102 with a four-goal game against Laos.

Gerd Müller: Germany - 8

Gerd Müller, a prolific German striker known for his precision in the penalty area, is considered one of football’s top scorers. With West Germany, he scored 68 goals in 62 games. For Bayern Munich, he scored 365 goals in 427 Bundesliga matches and 65 goals in 74 European games, holding a league scoring record. Müller’s eight hat-tricks include two in the 1970 World Cup.

Poul Nielsen: Denmark - 8

Danish striker Poul Nielsen scored 52 goals in 38 games, sharing Denmark’s top-scoring record. He earned a silver medal at the 1912 Olympics and led Kjøbenhavns Boldklub (KB) to six Danish championships. Scoring eight hat-tricks in international play, Nielsen was an iconic figure for Denmark until his death in 1962.

Abby Wambach: United States of America- 8

Mary Abigail Wambach, born on June 2, 1980, is a retired American soccer player, coach, and National Soccer Hall of Fame inductee. A six-time recipient of the U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year award, Wambach was a key player for the U.S. women’s national team from 2003 to 2015.

She earned her first international cap in 2001 and, as a forward, became the highest all-time goal scorer for the U.S. national team. Globally, she ranks second in international goals for both men and women with 184 goals, trailing only Canada's Christine Sinclair.

Wambach competed in four FIFA Women's World Cup tournaments: the 2003 edition in the U.S., the 2007 event in China, the 2011 tournament in Germany, and the 2015 competition in Canada. She also represented the U.S. in the 2004 Athens and 2012 London Olympics.

Throughout these five major international tournaments, Wambach played 30 matches and netted 22 goals. She helped her team secure two Olympic gold medals, third-place finishes twice at the Women's World Cup, a second-place finish in 2011, and ultimately, a World Cup victory in 2015.

Read Also: FIFA World Cup 2026: Teams qualified so far

Carli Lloyd: United States of America- 9

Carli Lloyd is another legend of international football, having represented the U.S. from 2012 to 2021. Over her remarkable career, she earned two Olympic gold medals (in 2008 and 2012) and won two FIFA Women's World Cup titles in 2015 and 2019. In addition, she was named FIFA Player of the Year twice, in 2015 and 2016, and competed in four Olympic Games (2008, 2012, 2016, and 2021).

Lloyd’s capacity for rising to the occasion was evident when she scored the decisive goals in the gold medal matches of both the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics. She was also instrumental in the U.S. clinching World Cup titles in 2015 and 2019, she also secured a bronze medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics. She played in the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, where the US finished as runners-up.

Ali Mabkhout: UAE - 9

Ali Mabkhout, a forward for Al Nasr and the UAE national team, debuted with Al Jazira in 2009. A pivotal figure in UAE’s 2019 AFC Asian Cup quarterfinal win over Australia, he became UAE’s top scorer on October 10, 2019, with a hat-trick against Indonesia in a 5-0 victory.

Sven Rydell: Sweden- 9

Swedish striker Sven Rydell scored 49 goals in 43 matches, a record that stood for over 80 years until broken by Zlatan Ibrahimović in 2014. Rydell’s international career included a bronze medal at the 1924 Olympics, and he holds the Swedish record of nine international hat-tricks.

Vivian Woodward: England - 10

Vivian Woodward, an English forward, starred from the early 1900s to World War I, playing for Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea. As Great Britain’s captain, he won gold at the 1908 and 1912 Olympics, recording six hat-tricks for England amateurs and four for England’s national team.

Cristiano Ronaldo: Portugal- 10

At the age of 18, Ronaldo made his debut for Portugal as a substitute against Kazakhstan on 20 August 2003. At UEFA Euro 2004, he scored his first international goal in a 2–1 group stage loss to Greece in his eighth international appearance.

In 2016, Ronaldo led Portugal to their first-ever trophy at the UEFA Euro 2016, although he was subbed off in the 25th minute in the final against hosts France.He received the Silver Boot as the second-highest goalscorer.

In the 2018 World Cup, Ronaldo became the oldest player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup match, in a 3–3 draw against Spain Cristiano Ronaldo became the first male player to score 10 hat-tricks for a national team on 12 October 2021 in Portugal's 5–0 win against Luxembourg, breaking Sven Rydell's record.

Lionel Messi:Argentina -10

Lionel Messi debuted for Argentina’s U20 team in 2004 and won the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship. His senior debut came in 2005 at 18. In 2021, he ended Argentina’s 28-year trophy drought with a Copa América win. On October 15, 2024, Messi scored his 10th international hat-trick in a 6-0 win over Bolivia.

Christine Sinclair: Canada- 11

Christine Margaret Sinclair is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a forward for the Portland Thorns in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). From 2000 until her international retirement in 2023, she was a key member of the Canadian national team. 

Sinclair is an Olympic gold medalist, two-time Olympic bronze medalist, CONCACAF champion, and has won the Canada Soccer Player of the Year award 14 times. She holds the world record for the most international goals scored by any player, male or female, with 190 goals and is among the most-capped players in international soccer, with 331 appearances.

In a career spanning more than two decades with the senior national team, Sinclair has competed in six FIFA Women's World Cups and four Olympic Football Tournaments, leading her team to bronze medals in 2012 and 2016, and to gold in 2020.

She is one of only three players to score in five different World Cup tournaments, alongside Marta and Cristiano Ronaldo. In 2022, Sinclair was honored with the Best FIFA Special Award for her achievement as the world’s top goal scorer.

Notably, Sinclair scored her eleventh international hat-trick during a 2012 Olympic match against the United States, netting all three of Canada’s goals in a 3–4 loss.

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Alex Morgan: United States of America- 12 

Alexandra Patricia Morgan, born on July 2, 1989, is a retired American professional soccer player who last played as a striker for San Diego Wave FC in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), where she served as captain, as well as for the United States national team. She co-captained the U.S. national team with Carli Lloyd and Megan Rapinoe from 2018 to 2020, and later with Lindsay Horan in 2023.

Morgan was the first overall pick in the 2011 WPS Draft by the Western New York Flash, where she made her professional debut and contributed to the team's league championship win. At 22, she was the youngest player on the U.S. national team at the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, where the team finished as runner-up.

During the 2012 London Olympics, Morgan scored the decisive goal in the 123rd minute of the semi-final against Canada. She ended 2012 with 28 goals and 21 assists, becoming the second American woman, after Mia Hamm, to record 20 goals and 20 assists in a single year. This achievement made her the sixth and youngest U.S. player to reach 20 goals in one season. Morgan was named U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year and became a FIFA World Player of the Year finalist.

She played a crucial role in the U.S. team's victories at the 2015 and 2019 FIFA Women's World Cups, earning a spot on the Dream Team in both tournaments and winning the Silver Boot in 2019. Morgan recorded her eleventh international hat-trick with five goals on 11 June 2019 in the United States 13–0 victory over Thailand in the 2019 World

Her record-breaking twelfth international hat-trick came in 2021 against Paraguay in a game where the United States dominated and won 8-0

Germany is going to take on the Netherlands in a scintillating clash in the UEFA Nations League group game tonight, scheduled to kick off at 12:15 AM IST on 15 October 2024. The two teams will set their foot in the iconic Allianz Arena Stadium in Munich where the German home crowd will welcome the visitors, the Dutch brigade.

Currently standing on the top of Nations League Group A3 with 7 points earned in 3 matches so far, Germany will face the second-placed Netherlands who are at 5 points in the same amout of matches played.

Germany will utilize their home advantage in this match after a smooth away victory by 2-1 against Bosnia & Herzegovina. Deniz Undav scored a brace and now has scored 3 goals in his two Nations League outings for Germany.

On the other hand, the Netherlands faced an unexpected result in their last game against Hungary, managing a frustrating 1-1 away draw after Denzel Dumfries scored in the 83rd minute to save the day for the Dutch. 

Match Details

Match: Germany vs Netherlands 

Date: 15 October 2024

Time: 12:15 AM IST

Venue: Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany 

Streaming Details

Indian viewers can stream the game live on the SonyLIV app and website. The TV broadcast will be on Sony Sports Network channels.

Head-to-head Stats (Since 2004)

Matches Played: 12

Germany wins: 4

Netherlands wins: 2

Draws: 6

Previous Records 

Since the 2004 EURO, Germany and Netherlands have faced each other 12 times over almost 20 years. Germany emerged victorious 4 times while Netherlands snatched the win 2 times. In their last face-off on 11th September 2024, Germany held a 2-2 against Netherlands in the same clash in the UEFA Nations League. 

Here are the previous records between these two teams since EURO 2004:

In 2022, the World Cup left an unforgettable experience for over 1 billion viewers who tuned in. Messi led Argentina to victory, giving the nation moments of joy and a fitting tribute to the late Diego Maradona while solidifying his place among players who have won every major trophy. Meanwhile, Kylian Mbappé put on a historic display, netting three goals in the final and pushing the match into extra time.

Read Also: Europe's Top International Goalscorers: Cristiano Ronaldo extends his lead

Key Details on the World Cup 2026

FIFA President Gianni Infantino and his team in their bid to improve the quality of the World Cup and promote inclusivity increased the number of teams that will participate in the World Cup from an initial 32 teams to 48 teams. The teams will be split into 12 groups of 4 teams, with the top 2 of each group and the 8 best third-placed teams progressing to a new round of 32, 

The tournament will take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026. It will be jointly hosted by 16 cities in three North American countries: Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The tournament will be the first hosted by three nations and the first North American World Cup since 1994 It will be the first World Cup since 2002 to be hosted by more than one nation.

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How Do Teams Qualify for the World Cup?

Qualification for the World Cup is done based on the regions of the World. Each  regional Confederation is responsible for its qualification tournament, which will consist of at least one round of competition using the following formats  

• Confederations can use a League format in which each team in a group plays all other teams in their group twice – once at home and once away.
• A single round-robin format in which each team in a group plays all other teams in their group once, with the venues either drawn at random or assigned by the confederation with the agreement of the playing association
• A Knockout format in which each team in a round plays one other team over two legs once at home and once away.
• With FIFA's permission, a tournament is held in one of the participating nations or neutral territory.
• With FIFA's permission, a single-leg knockout format.

 Europe has 16 slots, Asia has 8 slots with one extra from playoffs making it 9, Africa has 9 slots with one extra coming from playoffs, South America has 6 with one extra coming from playoffs making a total of 7, North America has 6 slots with 3 already taken due to the host nations.

 Teams That Have Already Qualified

With qualifications still ongoing the only nations that have qualified are the host nations namely the United States of America, Mexico, and Canada qualification process for the World Cup will be ongoing till the end of November 2025, and till then teams will be struggling to qualify.

United States of America

Despite not predominantly being a football nation, the United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) has managed to establish a formidable team with the likes of Christian Pulisic and Folarin Balogun, the appointment of Argentinian Mauricio Pochettino as their head coach shows some sign of intent that the country intends to go as far as possible in the World Cup

Read Also: 10 Footballers Who Retired And Came Back

Mexico

Mexico has qualified for every World Cup in the past decade, but playing on home soil will give them the advantage of fan support. While they may be without their veteran goalkeeper Ochoa, who has been crucial in past tournaments, they remain a team not to be underestimated.

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 Canada

Canada had a memorable 2022 World Cup in Qatar, highlighted by their surprising win against Belgium. However, they lost their remaining group games to Morocco and Croatia, leading to their early exit from the tournament. Known for their attacking football, Canada relies on pace in midfield and attack, with Jonathan David and Alphonso Davies being key to their World Cup ambitions.

Over the years, players have worked their way into a club's history by scoring many goals, dazzling fans, and ensuring countless victories. Barcelona's club's top scorers have left a huge mark on both the club and the sport. Sportz Point highlights Barcelona's top 5 for you.

Lionel Messi- 627 Goals

Often termed the greatest player of his generation. He is regarded as the best player in the club's history, Messi's extraordinary talent and unmatched consistency turned him into a living legend at Camp Nou.

Messi made his La Liga debut on October 16, 2004, between that time and when he left the club in 2021 he was instrumental in Barcelona winning 10 La Liga titles and 4 Champions League.

Read Also: Lionel Messi's Top 5 most important free-kick goals

His brace against Real Betis saw the Argentine forward become Barcelona's all-time top scorer in La Liga, and surpassed Gerd Muller's record for most goals scored in a calendar year; Messi would score a record 91 goals in all competitions for Barcelona and Argentina throughout 2012

Cesar Rodriguez- 232