World champions who retired in 2025
The likes of Sergio Busquets, Tobin Heath, Mats Hummels, Steve Mandanda and Christen Press all called time on their careers this year.
Several FIFA World Cup™ and FIFA Women’s World Cup™ winners hung up their boots in 2025. We look at those players and the tournaments which made them immortal.
South Africa 2010
Joining Reina on the winners' podium 15 years ago was midfield maestro Busquets, who won seven of his 143 caps during their South African triumph. He made his first Spain start just over a year prior to the global finals against South Africa at the FIFA Confederations Cup™, becoming a mainstay over the backend of 2009 before playing almost every minute at his debut World Cup.
El Pulpo played more than 750 matches for Barcelona where he won 32 major honours. A 2023 move to Inter Miami brought a reunion with Lionel Messi, where he called time on his career in December following their MLS Cup victory.
South Africa 2010
The goalkeeper acted as understudy across four editions, including South Africa 2010, where Spain clinched their maiden title. His long-awaited bow came at Brazil 2014, in a 3-0 group-stage win over Australia with Spain already eliminated.
A lengthy career at club level saw Reina play more than 900 matches for the likes of Barcelona, Liverpool, Napoli and Como, before he called time on his career in May. He's now back at former club Villarreal as U-19 coach.
Brazil 2014
A stalwart across the backline for the Germans during the 2010s, Boateng featured in every game of their fourth world conquest in 2014, including playing every minute of the knockout stage. The defender also took to the field in South Africa and Russia, with his final appearance coming in their 2-1 victory over Sweden in Sochi.
The majority of his 76 caps came during a ten-year spell with Bayern Munich, in which he won nine league titles and two UEFA Champions Leagues. He hung up his boots in September following spells in France, Italy and Austria.
Brazil 2014
Hummels joined Boateng in defence for all-but one of Germany's matches, scoring in the 4-0 win over Portugal and notching the winner against France in the last eight. The defender returned to play twice more in Russia.
He played more than 500 games for Borussia Dortmund and took in three years with Bayern Munich before retiring in May following a season with Roma.
Brazil 2014
Kramer earned his first call-up a month before the finals, with the defensive midfielder coming on as a late substitute in two of their knockout victories. The 23-year-old was thrust into the spotlight moments before the decider, as Sami Khedria pulled out through injury, though he only last 31 minutes against Argentina after suffering a head injury.
The midfielder, who departed Monchengladbach in August 2024, hasn't explicitly announced his retirement, but told the Copa TS Podcast earlier this year: "I kind of missed the whole [retirement] thing. I’m not saying it out loud now because I'd find it unbearably embarrassing if an article came out like: 'Kramer ends his career.'"
Russia 2018
A foreign-born World Cup winner, Mandada, who hails from Congo DR, experienced it all across three World Cups. The goalkeeper was in reserve during France's South Africa 2010 campaign, as Les Bleus infamously crashed out in the groups. He fulfilled the same role at Russia 2018 and won his opening World Cup cap in the draw with Denmark, as France went on to lift the trophy. He was back-up again in Qatar, playing in the defeat to Tunisia, as France were edged out in the final.
He retired in September after making 555 appearances across spells with Marseille and Stade Rennais to sit eighth on the all-time Ligue 1 list.
Russia 2018
Another foreign-born World Cup winner, Cameroon native Umtiti created a legendary partnership alongside Raphael Varane in Russia. The centre-back famously netted the winning goal in the semi-final showdown with Belgium, paving the way for a decider victory over Croatia.
Sadly for Umtiti, however, he would earn just six more caps for Les Bleus. He opted against knee surgery in order to make the finals, leading to persistent injuries thereafter and forcing him to retire in September aged just 31.
Germany 2011
Full-back Kinga starred during the golden age of Japanese women's football, playing every minute of their historic Germany 2011 campaign as the Nadeshiko won the title. She returned to World Cup soil to play once in their title defence, as Japan reached the final.
Following long spells in her homeland and Australia, with a stint at Arsenal sandwiched in between, she hung up her boots in May while playing for Sanfrecce Hiroshima Regina.
Canada 2015
Klingenberg was the left-back of a States backline which conceded just thrice at Canada 2015, with the 26-year-old making a famous goalline clearance against Sweden. The Stars and Stripes went on to romp to a first title in 16 years with a 5-2 victory over Japan in Vancouver.
The Pennsylvania native called time on her career in June after an eight-year stint with Portland Thorns where she lifted two NWSL titles, while winning 75 caps for the national team.
Canada 2015 & France 2019
States stalwart Heath played in all three World Cup campaigns in the 2010s. While the winger missed her penalty in the 2011 shootout defeat to Japan, she recovered to play a starring role in both the 2015 and 2019 successes, including netting in the 2015 final revenge against the AFC giants.
She played across her homeland and for Manchester United and Arsenal before suffering a career-ending knee injury with OL Reign in 2022. After spending almost three years trying to get back, the 181-capped States icon officially retired in June.
Canada 2015 & France 2019
The final USA title winner to retire this year was Press, who hung up her boots in November aged 36, and now co-hosts The Re-Cap Show podcast alongside Heath.
Press was a crucial cog at both Canada 2015 and France 2019, playing in every match of the latter tournament and bagging her only Women's World Cup goal to open the scoring in the semi-final win over England. The forward finished with 155 caps to her name.
Australia & New Zealand 2023
Zornoza became the first Spanish champion to call it a day in November, bowing out by helping the Utah Royals defeat Washington Spirit in the National Women's Soccer League.
The midfielder, who most notably turned out for Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid, was 32 and the second-oldest member of La Roja's squad which conquered Down Under. She came off the bench twice during the tournament, winning 13 caps overall.