Ex-Wolves, Millwall and Bolton striker confirms retirement | OneFootball

Jon Dadi Bodvarsson has announced his retirement from the game after a significant spell in English football

Jon Dadi Bodvarrson has announced his retirement after spells in England with Wolves, Millwall and Bolton Wanderers, among others.

The forward also featured for Reading, Wrexham and Burton Albion during his career, which began in 2009.

The 34-year-old had been plying his trade with Selfoss in his native Iceland, having joined the club in 2025.

But he will now be hanging up his boots, timing his announcement with the opening weekend of the new EFL season.

Bodvarsson will be fondly remembered by many in English football, where he spent the majority of the best years of his career after moving to Molineux in 2016.

It remains to be seen what will come from the player in the aftermath of his career, but he could yet make a return to English football one day as either a coach or a pundit.

Jon Dadi Bodvarsson announces retirement

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Bodvarsson has posted a message on social media to his supporters in which he has confirmed his retirement from playing.

He has thanked the world of football for everything, writing on Instagram, translated to English: “Dear football, thank you for everything.”

Former teammates such as Elias Kachunga, Ollie Rathbone and Kieran Sadlier are among those to have liked the post, as well as Tom McIntyre and Dan Scarr.

Kachunga has also responded: “Enjoy retirement mate, and good luck for the future.”

Wrexham’s Harry Ashfield has replied, congratulating him on a great career, writing: “Congrats on the amazing career, all the best for the future.”

Bodvarsson competed in both the Championship and League One in his career after moving to Wolves in 2016 from German side Kaiserslautern.

He also played for Viking prior to his arrival in England, spending three years at the top level of Norwegian football.

Jon Dadi Bodvarsson’s career in England

Jon Dadi Bodvarsson's impact on English football

The striker spent a season with Wolves, where he made 42 appearances in the Championship and contributed three goals and two assists.

He made the switch to Reading in 2017, spending two years with the Royals before signing for Millwall.

During his time at the Den, Bodvarsson scored five goals and completed four assists from 69 league appearances.

The Iceland international’s move to Bolton saw him drop down to the third division, where he found the back of the net 14 times in three seasons.

The 34-year-old’s final season in English football saw him make 17 appearances across stints with both Burton and Wrexham before moving back to Iceland in 2025.

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Jon Dadi Bodvarsson will be remembered well at Bolton

Bodvarsson moved around a lot in his career, and enjoyed a lot of ups and downs across his various different clubs.

But his impact at Reading, Millwall and Bolton was perhaps the most significant, and is where he was at his most prolific.

While he was unable to help the Whites gain promotion under Ian Evatt, their run to the play-off final was his most memorable impact in the side.

The outpouring of reactions already from the announcement of his retirement indicates that he was a well-liked member of the dressing room wherever he went, which is as good an impact to have on the sport as any.