Conor Coady announces retirement from football after joining England Under-21s coaching staff

Conor Coady has announced his retirement from professional football, months after joining the England Under-21s coaching staff. He confirmed his decision in a video posted on Instagram on Friday morning, minutes before Thomas Tuchel announced his senior squad.

The 33-year-old was last at League Two club Wrexham, before the two parties agreed to end their association on 31 August. He briefly worked at Liverpool’s academy after leaving, then officially joined the coaching staff led by Lee Carsley on 4 September.

Coady said his lack of appearances over the past two years had been difficult for him, noting that football had been the focus of his life. In his retirement message, he said he had made 503 appearances for eight clubs, earned two promotions, played at the World Cup and European Championship, and won ten caps for England.

He thanked Liverpool, Sheffield United, Huddersfield, Wolverhampton, Everton, Leicester City, Wrexham and Charlton, and also singled out his family and agent. He received tributes from Jack Grealish, Harry Maguire and Raheem Sterling, as well as Gareth Southgate, who described his career as wonderful.