Most professional footballers hang up their boots by the age of 35 – a far cry from the typical retirement age in most careers. Many transition into coaching, punditry, or management to remain close to the game, but for some, the lure of the pitch is too powerful to ignore.
Football has a way of pulling people back in. Whether it's the buzz of matchday, the connection with fans, or simply the love of the game, walking away isn't always as permanent as it seems. For a few players, the itch to return proves impossible to resist – and they make the Iconic Footballers Who Came Back Out Of Retirements all over again with unexpected comebacks.
It's no wonder, really. Football captivates billions across the globe and offers countless ways to stay involved – whether it's through coaching, grassroots support, or even exploring fan-focused strategies like 'what is matched betting?' to add another layer to the experience.
Here, we take a look at some of the most iconic footballers who couldn't stay away, defying the norm and stepping back onto the pitch after calling time on their careers.
Petr Čech
Petr Čech is one of the greatest goalkeepers to play in the Premier League, if not the world, making history with Chelsea and continuing his career in his older years with North London outfit Arsenal. He is known for his incredible shot-stopping ability, reactions and leadership with an iconic head guard that became recognised across the world. The four-time Premier League winner and Champions League winner had an extremely successful career, making over 560 appearances before he chose to retire at the top level with Arsenal in 2019. Or so we thought. Chelsea defied all the odds in the 2020/21 campaign, winning the biggest trophy there is in European club football, the UEFA Champions League, but their Premier League campaign wasn't quite what they were expecting.
However, at the start of the Premier League campaign, football fans were completely shocked to see the name Petr Čech in Chelsea's 25-man squad, meaning the legendary shotstopper could play for the Blues once again in the upcoming season, despite retiring at Arsenal in 2019. Chelsea addressed the matter, saying it wasn't a typical contract agreement and Čech would be used as a backup if required to play. Unfortunately for football fans, Čech didn't get to play a Premier League game for Chelsea in the 2020/21 campaign, but did manage to make a singular outing for the under-23s against Tottenham Hotspur, where they would win 3-2 despite a very physical contest.
Paul Scholes
Paul Scholes is regarded as one of the best midfielders that the Premier League has ever seen and has become a legend at his boyhood club, Manchester United. As one of the most decorated players in the history of English football, Scholes has 11 Premier League titles, two Champions League titles and three FA Cups, with over 700 appearances for the Red Devils. But back in 2011, Scholes decided to retire from professional football after 21 years at Manchester United, and was rewarded for his efforts with a testimonial game against New York Cosmos.
After retirement, Scholes wanted to keep fit, joining the staff at Carrington, helping with coaching and youth development. After retiring and opting to continue training, he approached Sir Alex Ferguson with the intention of returning to football in 2012, whether it was for Manchester United or for a different team. As a result of an injury crisis, Ferguson agreed to play Scholes over 30 more times after his return before he announced his retirement again in 2013 after winning his 11th Premier League title. This wasn't the final time we'd get to see Scholes play football, as he went on to make three appearances in 2018 at the age of 43 for Royton Town, before fully hanging up his boots after his final game against Stockport Georgians later that year.
Wojciech Szczesny
Szczesny will be remembered more for his time at Arsenal, spending eight years with the Gunners, before leaving in 2017 to spend a further seven years with Italian giants Juventus. After making over 200 appearances for Juventus, Szczesny announced his retirement at the age of 34 in 2024, with his love for the game not the same as it was.
The four-time Serie A winner, however, only spent a month in retirement before signing for Barcelona as a result of first-team goalkeeper Marc Andre ter Stegen picking up a season-ending injury, putting Barcelona in a goalkeeping crisis. Barcelona striker and former Poland teammate Robert Lewandowski contacted Szczesny personally, asking if he would be interested in helping to push the transfer. Szczesny could not have asked for a better first season out of retirement, winning La Liga, the Copa Del Rey and the Supercopa de Espana.
Arjen Robben
An iconic name in recent years, Arjen Robben has been one of the most enjoyable players to watch in the 21st century. His ability to beat defenders with ease from the right side and cut in on his left, placing the ball in the net, was a signature move from the Dutchman. In fact, he was so good at doing so, he managed to play at a few massive clubs including Chelsea, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, where he not only became a legend in Germany, but a legend in the football world.
In 2019, Robben retired from professional football, leaving Bayern Munich; however, only a year later, we would see his return to football at the team where he started his career, FC Groningen. His return would be short and only for one season only, appearing six times and being ruled out for the majority of the season due to injury.
