Former Chelsea and England captain John Terry has announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 37 as he prepares to move into coaching.
Terry, who has been without a club since leaving Aston Villa on a free transfer in May and was close to joining Spartak Moscow in September before having a change of heart, announced the decision on his official Instagram account.
Last week, he helped prepare Chelsea U19s for a UEFA Youth League match against Danish club Molde that they went on to win 10-1, and he is reportedly set to return to Villa as assistant to Arsenal legend Thierry Henry.
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“After 23 incredible years as a footballer, I have decided now is the right time for me to retire from playing,” Terry said.
“I want to thank my amazing teammates, coaches, managers and backroom staff, who I was honoured to work with and learn from. They all guided me on my way to playing 717 games for the club I love, and it was a privilege to serve them as captain.