Micah Richards, the former England and Manchester City defender turned broadcaster, has announced his intention to retire from all mainstream media punditry by 2034. Richards, 38, stated that the 2034 World Cup will mark his final engagement with outlets such as the BBC, Sky Sports, and CBS Sports.
Richards, who is currently involved in World Cup coverage with the BBC and co-hosts The Rest Is Football podcast with Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer, revealed his plans in an interview with The Daily Telegraph. He explained that after dedicating his life to football since leaving school at 14, he wishes to transition to making a difference in his hometown of Chapeltown in Leeds. His goal is to contribute to his community at a grassroots level, particularly focusing on opportunities for young people.
"I want to make a difference to people’s lives at a grass-roots level – to help those who need it most, especially young people," Richards said. He emphasized a desire to do more than just associate his name with charitable foundations or make occasional appearances, aiming for a more hands-on involvement.
He also commented on his decision to leave X, formerly Twitter, citing the platform's pervasive negativity. Richards noted a shift from a positive experience during Twitter's early days to a more toxic environment. He admitted that reading comments after his early punditry appearances had led him to question his performance, despite feeling he had done well.
The Rest Is Football podcast has achieved significant popularity, ranking as the sixth most popular podcast in the United Kingdom according to Spotify and the top-ranked in the sports category. Despite this success, podcast listenership figures still fall short of traditional television audiences, with major football matches drawing millions of viewers.
In addition to his broadcasting commitments, Richards is also involved as a manager for the Baller League team Deportrio, alongside former teammate Daniel Sturridge.