Aaron Ramsey retires from professional football | OneFootball

Aaron Ramsey (35) has retired from professional football with immediate effect, BBC Sport has reported.

The Wales captain and former Arsenal player has been without a club since leaving Mexican side Pumas UNAM last year and is now expected to move into coaching. Ramsey retires as one of Wales’ greatest players, scoring 21 goals in 86 appearances and representing his country at three major tournaments.

He played a key role in Wales’ historic run to the Euro 2016 semi-finals and was named in Uefa’s team of the tournament, before also featuring at Euro 2020 and the 2022 World Cup, Wales’ first appearance at that competition for 64 years.

Ramsey began his career at Cardiff City before joining Arsenal in 2008, where he won three FA Cups and scored the winning goal in two finals during an 11-year spell. He later played for Juventus and Nice and had a loan spell at Rangers, helping them reach the 2022 Europa League final but missing a penalty in the shootout. Ramsey also returned to Cardiff and briefly worked as interim head coach at the end of last season.

In a statement on social media, he thanked Wales supporters, the clubs he played for and his family as he confirmed his decision to retire.

GFN | Finn Entwistle