Andres Iniesta, Alex Morgan and Toni Kroos were among the football legends to retire during 2024. FIFA looks through them.
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A number of world champions hung up their boots in 2024
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Retirees include six World Cup winners and four Women’s Word Cup conquerors
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FIFA looks through them and the campaigns where they made their name
This year, the beautiful game said goodbye to a number of players who lifted either the FIFA World Cup™ or the FIFA Women’s World Cup™. Here, we look at the players who retired during 2024 and the campaigns which made them immortal.
FIFA World Cup™
Andres Iniesta (Spain) – South Africa 2010
Tournaments: 4 Games played: 14
A star of galactic proportions, Iniesta brought the curtain down on a stellar career in October following more than 900 matches for club and country.
While the midfield wizard will always be remembered for his time at Barcelona, his most famous moment came in the red of his national team at South Africa 2010. With the Soccer City showpiece against the Netherlands level in the final knockings of extra time, Cesc Fabregas squeezed a ball through to him, allowing Iniesta to take a touch and rifle beyond Maarten Stekelenburg to clinch Spain’s first – and so far only – world title.
Jesus Navas (Spain) – South Africa 2010
Tournaments: 1 Games played: 3
Iniesta was joined in that Spain squad by the similarly evergreen Navas, who hung up his boots at the end of 2024. A flying winger at the time of the South Africa success, Navas featured in the first two games of the tournament but didn’t take to the field again until the decider, when he was brought on for Pedro after the hour mark.
Some 14 years after helping Spain win the World Cup – by which point he was a battle-hardened full-back – he played a part in the nation’s UEFA EURO 2024 victory in Germany.
Erik Durm (Germany) – Brazil 2014
Tournaments: 1 Games played: 0
The first world champion to call time on their career this year was full-back Durm, who retired in January following nagging injury trouble at the age of 31.
He made his debut against Cameroon one day before Joachim Low named him in Germany’s squad for Brazil 2014. The right-back, who was just 22 at the time, went on to join the likes of Franco Baresi and Ronaldo in winning football’s biggest prize without playing a minute, as he was an unused substitute in all seven games.
In July, Durm returned to amateur football after signing with hometown club SG Rieschweiler in the sixth tier of Germany.
Shkodran Mustafi (Germany) – Brazil 2014
Tournaments: 1 Games played: 3
The next member of the victorious Germany squad to say goodbye to the game was defender Mustafi, who hung up his boots in June.
Like Durm, Mustafi only made his senior bow shortly before the tournament, debuting in a friendly draw with Poland a month earlier. He came on at right-back in Germany’s opening two games and started the last-16 clash with Algeria, but was substituted after suffering a tournament-ending thigh injury.
Since July, he has been assistant coach of the German U-17 side, alongside Marc-Patrick Meister.
Toni Kroos (Germany) – Brazil 2014
Tournaments: 3 Games played: 14
Almost ten years to the day that Germany lifted the World Cup, midfield icon Kroos became the third member of the side to hang up his boots following his nation’s EURO 2024 defeat to Spain in July.
The Bayern Munich and Real Madrid icon played every minute of regulation time in Brazil, contributing two goals – both in the 7-1 thumping of Brazil – and three assists. He was later named Germany supporters’ Player of the Year.
Raphael Varane (France) – Russia 2018
Tournaments: 3 Games played: 18
Despite signing for newly-promoted Serie A side Como in July, Varane called time on his storied career just two months into his Italian adventure, citing repeated injury issues.
The defender, who won some 20 honours with Real Madrid and Manchester United, was at the height of his considerable powers during the 2018 tournament. He played every minute of Les Bleus’ title charge, striking up a rock-solid partnership with Samuel Umtiti which saw his side concede just six goals en route to their second world crown.
FIFA Women’s World Cup™
Sam Mewis (USA) – France 2019
Tournaments: 1 Games played: 6
The first Women’s World Cup winner to say goodbye to football in 2024 was USA icon Mewis, who retired in January following consistent knee injuries.
Her first taste of global stage success came in 2012, when she helped the States to a FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup™ victory in Japan. Then, seven years later, Mewis played a key role in USA taking home a second straight World Cup in France. The midfielder played in six of the seven games, and assisted Rose Lavelle’s title-clinching goal in the decider.
Kelley O’Hara (USA) – Canada 2015, France 2019
Tournaments: 4 Games played: 14
The second US stalwart to hang up her boots this year was O’Hara, who made the announcement in May.
She won gold at London 2012 to help secure an Olympic three-peat, and pave the way for a dynasty of global success for the nation. O’Hara netted in the Canada 2015 semi-final win over Germany en route to a famous 5-2 win over Japan in the decider, before starting all-but one of the US’ games four years later as they retained their title.
Alex Morgan (USA) – Canada 2015, France 2019
Tournaments: 4 Games played: 22
Morgan became the third USA icon to call it a day in September. The forward, who sits fifth on the nation’s all-time scoring charts on 123 goals, retired following news that she was pregnant, aged 35, with her second child.
Like Mewis, Morgan starred on the U-20 stage before taking to the senior game, winning Chile 2008 and both the tournament’s adidas Silver Ball and adidas Bronze Boot. Morgan then dazzled in London before taking home two World Cup winners’ medals. She also collected the adidas Silver Boot from France following a six-goal campaign.
Becky Sauerbrunn (USA) – Canada 2015, France 2019
Tournaments: 3 Games played: 14
Legendary defender Sauerbrunn made it a hat-trick of two-time winners to hang up their boots in December, as she called time on her stellar career at the age of 39.
After winning Olympic gold at London 2012, Sauerbrunn played in but one of the matches across Canada 2015 and France 2019. She ended her career with 219 international appearances, establishing her at 10th position on USA’s all-time appearance list.
A host of other world-renowned players also called it a day this year. Former Juventus stalwart Leonardo Bonucci, Portugal legend Pepe, Spanish midfielder Thiago Alcantara and two-time CONMEBOL Copa America winner Claudio Bravo all hung up their boots.
Meanwhile, Christine Sinclair retired as international footballer’s greatest goalscorer after netting 190 times in 331 games, while former England captain Steph Houghton and Sweden legend Caroline Seger also called time on their careers.
