Kieran Trippier announces international retirement

Kieran Trippier has announced his retirement from international football, following an England career which saw him represent the Three Lions on 54 occasions and play in four major tournaments.

The right-back made the decision to finish his career with the national team ahead of the new UEFA Nations League campaign in 2024-25.

Born in Bury, Lancashire, Trippier made his senior debut for England in June 2017 against France in Paris which was the start of a journey that saw him feature in two World Cup and two European Championship tournaments and score one of the most memorable England goals of recent times.

A moment no England fan will ever forget.

❤️ @trippier2 pic.twitter.com/Eso6Cw4iMB

— England (@England) August 29, 2024

His stunning free-kick in the 2018 World Cup semi-final in Russia put the Three Lions ahead against Croatia, and remains an iconic strike as Gareth Southgate’s squad reached the last four of the competition for the first time since 1990.

Unfortunately, England went on to lose that game in extra time but Trippier went one further three years later on home soil when he was a member of the squad who made history by reaching a first-ever EURO Final at the delayed 2021 tournament.

He then did it again earlier this summer, as part of the team who made it to the EURO 2024 Final in Germany, only to slip to a 2-1 defeat against Spain in the Final.

"I never thought as a young lad from Bury that I would play for my country, let alone achieve 54 caps. It’s been one of the biggest honours of my life to represent my country at four major tournaments," said Trippier.

"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.

"Thank you to all my team mates - we have had some very special moments reaching 2 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."

Trippier began his career as a young player with Manchester City where he was part of the team which won the FA Youth Cup in 2007, and it was there when he has his first taste of international football.

A call up for the MU18s in November 2007 for a game against Ghana in Gillingham saw him make his bow for the Young Lions as a substitute.

The 2008-09 season saw him become an England MU19 regular, as Brian Eastick’s squad progressed through two qualifying rounds to reach the UEFA U19 EURO Finals in Ukraine.

As part of a squad also containing the likes of future senior internationals Kyle Walker, Danny Welbeck, Danny Drinkwater and Andros Townsend, the Young Lions enjoyed a strong campaign which saw them reach the Final in Donetsk, only to lose a tightly-contested game against the host nation in front of a large partisan crowd.

A few months after that, Trippier experienced the FIFA U20 World Cup in Egypt before going on to earn three caps at MU21 level.

His club career saw him depart City in 2012 for an impressive spell with Burnley, who he helped win promotion into the Premier League in 2014 where performances in his maiden year in the top flight attracted the attention of Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2015.

After four years with Spurs, a move to Spain and Atletico Madrid came in 2019 when he became the club's first English player for over 90 years. It was a successful move too, as he helped the club to a La Liga title in the 2020-21 season, before he returned to England in January 2022 by joining Newcastle United.