SOCCER
Kieran Trippier retires from international soccer: How many games did he play for England?
The 33-year-old fullback made the decision just moments before England announced their Nations League squad.
Amidst the Champions League fever, Kieran Trippier’s international retirement news has caught Premier League fans off guard. Manuel Neuer, Kroos and Müller, among others, made the decision some weeks ago; now, the Englishman has also decided it’s time to hang up his boots at the top level.
Newcastle’s full-back announced his retirement from England’s national team through his Instagram account. “It’s been one of the biggest honours of my life to represent my country at 4 major tournaments. I want to say a big thank you to Gareth and all the staff that have worked with the England squad for the trust they have placed in me throughout the years,” Trippier stated.
The Englishman also took a moment to thank his fans, teammates, and new England coach Lee Carsley. “Thank you to all my teammates—we have had some very special moments, reaching two Euro finals and a World Cup semi-final, and I am sure in the future, this group of players will win a major tournament.”
“I want to wish Lee, the coaching staff, and the team all the best for the future. And finally a big thank you to all the England fans for your incredible support, travelling all over the world to support us and keeping us going in the difficult moments,” concluded the player.
Kieran Trippier’s stats with England
Trippier started his international career with England’s Under-18 squad in 2007, when he was only 16, in a friendly game against Ghana. He progressed to the under-19 and under-20 squads before making his senior debut in 2017.
The player was called up for England’s first team during the 2018 World Cup qualifiers games against Scotland and France and debuted against the latter in their 3-2 loss. Trippier was then selected in England’s squad for the World Cup and scored one of the tournament’s most memorable goals: a free kick against Croatia in the semi-final stage. Despite the effort, England were knocked out after their rivals completed a 2-1 comeback in extra time.
With England’s first team, Trippier made 54 appearances, the last one coming in the 2024 Euros semi-final against the Netherlands; despite winning the game, he was taken off early due to an injury and missed the final against Spain, which England lost.