Former Manchester United centre-back Phil Jones has announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 32.
Jones spent 12 years on the books at United between 2011 and 2023, initially arriving to significant fanfare as a youngster from Blackburn Rovers, but injuries ravaged his career and restricted him to just 229 appearances in all competitions.
“For years I’d go into games thinking, ‘I shouldn’t really be playing,’ and players would look at me, see the swelling and be thinking, ‘He’s playing here?’ But I love playing and I’ll do anything for United,” he told The Times in an emotional interview back in 2021. “If I have to play at 60% and know I can get through it, then why not?
“I’d lost my mind completely. I’m thinking, ‘I’m finished, can’t be bothered with all this any more’. I went straight to the doc and said, ‘Enough’s enough. I’ve had too many anti-inflammatories, too many injections, too many close shaves. I need this sorted’.
“It was the lowest I’ve ever been as a human being. I used to come back [from United’s training ground] and be in bits. My head was an absolute mess. I’d be in tears.
“Every footballer has a tag and unfortunately mine is, ‘Let’s have a laugh at him’. But – and I say this in the nicest possible way – I know who’ll have the last laugh. I’m proud of my career and when it finishes and I’m enjoying my life – and by the way I’m super fortunate that I’ll be able to do that, because footballers are fortunate – [the keyboard warriors] will still be in their mum’s spare bedroom, sipping Diet Pepsi that’s flat, eating a Pot Noodle, sitting in their boxers, tweeting.”
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