Decided to retire early
one for him, throwing 39 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. Then in August 2019 he made the stunning announcement that it was all over. ‘‘I haven’t been able to live the life I want to live,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s taken the joy out of this game. The only way forward for me is to remove myself from football." He was criticised by Indianapolis Colts fans for quitting the team when he did. But really, it’s his life and he can do what he wants with it.
Justine Henin – Tennis. Age retired:
28. The first time Belgian Justine Henin retired in May 2008 she was ranked No 1 in the world and favourite for the upcoming French Open. Not only was it a stunning move, but she also insisted that she be removed from the world rankings immediately. Henin made a comeback in
2010 and was pretty successful, making it to the final in Brisbane and the Australian Open in her first two tournaments. But after losing to compatriot Kim Clijsters in the fourth round at Wimbledon she quit the game for the final time.
Rocky Marciano – Boxing. Age retired:
32. The Brockton Blockbuster is the only heavyweight champion to have retired undefeated and held the crown from 1952 to 1956. He finished with a record of 49 wins from 49 fights, with 43 of those victories coming by knockouts. Given that it takes so many boxers two or three goes before they finally hang up the gloves for good, it’s remarkable that Marciano never made a comeback.
Mark Richardson – Cricket. Age retired:
33. Retiring at the age he was isn’t a big deal, but it was surprising that Richardson pulled the plug given that he didn’t play in his maiden test until he was 29 and wasn’t showing any signs of decline. The words ‘prolific run scorer’ and ‘Mark Richardson’ were never used in the same sentence, however he was the rock at the top of the New Zealand batting order and his presence was missed.
Norman Whiteside – Football. Age retired:
26. Also coming from Northern Ireland and making his debut for Manchester United at the age of 16, it was no surprise Whiteside was hailed as the next George
Best. He held the record for the youngest player ever to appear in a
World Cup, playing for Northern Ireland in Spain in 1982 at 17 years and 41 days, beating Pele. However, he never got the chance to emulate his compatriot as knee injuries plagued his career, even after he shifted to Everton and he was forced to retire at just 26.