18th August, 2023
Former Arsenal star Theo Walcott has announced his retirement from football following his departure from Southampton at the end of last season.
He confirmed his retirement with a social media post, having made 563 club appearances and won three FA Cups alongside two Community Shields.
Thank you ❤️ pic.twitter.com/A4qRFMUKr9
— Theo Walcott (@theowalcott) August 18, 2023
Walcott who scored more than 100 goals for Arsenal and won 47 England caps, had been linked with a move to Bournemouth and League One outfit Reading earlier this summer.
But the 34-year-old has called time on his career,
Walcott scored 129 goals in all competitions.
He spent the majority of his career in north London at Arsenal after joining the club in January 2006 aged 16 from Southampton for an initial £5m rising to £12m.
He was sensationally named by Sven Goran Eriksson in England’s World Cup squad that summer despite not featuring for the Gunners in the second half of the 2005/06 campaign.
Walcott became the Three Lions’ youngest player at the age of 17 years and 75 days when he appeared in a friendly win over Hungary in May 2006.