Danny Drinkwater, a former Leicester and Chelsea player, announced his retirement from professional football on Monday, claiming he has been in a “state of limbo” for too long. Drinkwater, 33, was a key player in Leicester’s stunning Premier League triumph in 2016, before moving to Chelsea in the following year.
However, he failed to make an impact and was sent on loan to Burnley, Aston Villa and playing for two seasons, his Chelsea deal expired in 2021. Drinkwater admitted on the High-Performance Podcast that he may have been in limbo for the wrong reasons, including a drink-driving conviction in 2019, an ankle injury following an outside nightclub incident in the same year, and a head-butting incident with Villa teammate Jota at a training ground in 2020.
I think I’ve been stuck for too long now. I’ve always wanted to play, but I’ve never had the chance to play at a high level to feel appreciated. Drinkwater has been capped three times by England and was part of Manchester United’s youth academy, but didn’t make a senior appearance until he joined Leicester in 2012.
He says that football has been a part of his life since he was six or seven, so it’s never been easy. If he had to stop playing every week due to maybe an injury, it would be harder as time passes by.