Legend John Terry drops the curtain on his football career
It is difficult to come to terms with the fact that one of the legends you have regularly seen, on the football field, will no longer be a part of the game. Former Chelsea and England captain John Terry has announced his retirement from football. Terry has been an icon of English football and will be remembered fondly by all. Details follow.
How did Terry rise up the ranks at Chelsea?
Terry joined Chelsea at 14, and it is where he was first used as a center-back. At 16, he joined the Youth Training Scheme after leaving school and signed a professional contract a year later. Terry began making his mark in the first team from 2000-01 after debuting in 1998. In the 2000-01 season, he was named Chelsea's Player of The Year.
Becoming the captain and leading Chelsea to glory
After Marcel Desailly decided to retire, the Blues manager, Jose Mourinho, chose Terry as the captain. Under his captaincy and Mouirnho's tactics, Chelsea experienced one of their best seasons ever (2004-05). They made history by keeping the most number of clean sheets in English football history. Terry was voted Player of The Year and was also a part of the FIFPro World XI.
The numerous honors won by the legend over the years
Terry, in his career with Chelsea, has won 5 Premier Leagues- 2004-05, 2005-06, 2009-10, 2014-15, and 2016-17. He has also bagged 5 FA Cups- 1999-2000, 2006-07, 2008-09, 2009-10, and 2011-12. Chelsea won the Champions League 2011-12 though he was out due to a ban. Chelsea were also the Europa League champions in 2012-13 and the 2007-08 Champions League runners up.
The individual honors Terry has received over the years
Terry was nominated for the FIFPro World XI a multiple number of times successively- 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08 and also in 2009-10. He was also the UEFA Club Defender of the Year in 2005, 2008 and 2009. Terry was named in the UEFA Team of the Year in 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009. Terry was included in the PFA Team of the Century's 1997-2007 list
Terry: My heart will always belong to Chelsea
Terry made 717 appearances for Chelsea and his football career is forever entangled with the club's history. When announcing his retirement, Terry naturally acknowledged the club's importance in his life, saying that his heart will always belong to Chelsea. In his post, he praised and thanked his family, his clubs, the fans of English football and said this was the right time to quit.
Terry's Instagram post announcing his retirement
Chelsea's hero is truly a legend of the game
International career and later move to Aston Villa
Terry was elected as the captain of the England football team in 2006 and scored on his debut as captain in a friendly against Greece. In July 2017, he signed with Aston Villa and captained them for the 2017-18 season. In 2018 however, he ended his stint with Aston Villa after the club failed to qualify for the Premier League.
