Former Leicester City player Danny Drinkwater, who played a pivotal role in the club’s remarkable Premier League title win during the 2015-2016 season, has officially retired from professional football at the age of 33.
After his successful spell at Leicester City, Drinkwater joined Chelsea for a transfer fee of €37.90 million on August 31, 2017. Expectations were high for his career in European football, but he encountered a series of setbacks, primarily due to injuries. His time at Stamford Bridge saw him make only 22 appearances and score one goal before going on loan to Aston Villa.
However, a training ground altercation with teammate Jota led to his departure from Villa Park. Subsequently, he had loan spells at clubs like Kasimpasa in Turkey, Burnley, and Reading, where he made 34 appearances for the Royals but did not secure a long-term deal.
In July 2022, Drinkwater was released by Chelsea, and he felt that he had been in a state of uncertainty for too long. He officially announced his retirement from professional football during an interview on the High-Performance podcast.
Speaking about his decision to retire, Danny Drinkwater said, “I’d just like to announce my retirement from professional football. It’s probably been a long time coming, especially with the last year, but I think it’s time to officially announce it now. I didn’t think it would bother me, but saying it then it’s almost like scratching a nerve a bit. I think I’ve been ready for it, not stopping at my peak, and it’s simmered down a bit, that’s helped the transition.”
He also discussed his career, stating, “I think I’ve been in limbo for too long, I’ve either been wanting to play but not getting the opportunities to play at a level where I felt valued. I just thought I’m restless here for no reason, I’m happy not playing football, but I’m happy playing football, so do I just shake hands with the sport? It’s all I’ve known, it’s been my life since I was six or seven, and it was never going to be an easy thing.”