Ashley Young announces retirement from football aged 40

Former Manchester United and England defender, Ashley Young has announced his retirement from professional football, bringing an end to an illustrious 23-year career.

Young, who started at Watford and represented Aston Villa, Manchester United, Inter Milan, Everton, and now Ipswich, shared his retirement news ahead of a potential final match for Ipswich at Portman Road. He started as a winger before becoming a full-back.

He ends his career at Ipswich Town, having joined on a one-year deal in July 2025 after being released by Everton.

The 40-year-old made his England debut in November 2007 and won 39 caps for the national team, scoring seven goals.

Writing on his social media pages, Young reflected on his extensive journey: “From Sefton Road to Vicarage Road to Villa Park to Wembley to Old Trafford to San Siro back to Villa Park to Goodison Park and finally to Portman Road. It’s been some journey that I only dreamt of as a boy!

“But with this dream there has to be an ending, and Saturday might be the last game of my professional career – 23 years and OUT!”

The highlight of Young’s career was when he sealed his big move to Manchester United in 2011, and went on to spend nine years at Old Trafford.

During this time, he won the Premier League, FA Cup, Europa League and the League Cup before leaving for Inter Milan in 2020, where he won the Serie A title in his only season with the Italian giants.

He represented England at two major tournaments, reaching the quarter-finals of Euro 2012 with the Three Lions, and then getting to the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup under Gareth Southgate.

“I knew I was going to have to come to this decision at some point,” the versatile defender told Sky Sports News. “I’m not getting any younger, and my body has started to talk to me now as well.

“To be able to go out on my own terms is the main thing for me.

“I know I’ve announced that [retirement] now but, for me, my focus is solely on getting this club promoted again and back to the Premier League.”