BRIGHTON, England (AP) \u2014 Premier League icon James Milner announced his retirement from soccer on Monday, bringing an end to a record-breaking career that saw him make 658 appearances in England\u2019s top division and win a full set of trophies at club level. <\/p>\n
The 40-year-old midfielder played for top teams including Liverpool, Manchester City, Aston Villa, Newcastle and Leeds over 24 seasons. He finished his career at Brighton after setting a new record for the most Premier League appearances<\/a> and said it felt \u201clike the right time\u201d to walk away. <\/p>\n \u201cI could never have dreamed of the journey l\u2019ve been on,\u201d he said on social media. \u201cI\u2019ve been fortunate enough to experience some unforgettable moments, from fighting for survival to winning trophies, playing in Europe, and representing my country, England, at two European Championships and two World Cups.\u201d<\/p>\n Milner began his career aged 16 at his boyhood club Leeds and became the Premier League\u2019s youngest goal-scorer at the time. <\/p>\n He went on to win three Premier League titles, the Champions League, two FA Cups, two English League Cups and the Club World Cup.<\/p>\n At international level Milner won 61 caps for England. <\/p>\n \u201cTo those who supported me every step of the way, your encouragement meant more than you\u2019ll ever know. And to those who gave me grief along the way, thank you too \u2014 you all played your part in making the journey memorable and helping shape me as a player and person,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n James Robson is at https:\/\/x.com\/jamesalanrobson<\/a><\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n