Jack Wilshere, the man once dubbed as the future of English football, announced his retirement this week at the age of just 30. In an emotional post on Twitter, Wilshere confirmed he was calling time on his career. He would thank his family, close friends and teammates. The many members of the various coaching staff at the different clubs he played at got thanked, too. He reserved special thanks for Arsenal, the club he signed with as a seven-year-old. Former academy coaches, senior staff, former teammates and even fans got a mention. Wilshere called the Arsenal fans the best on the planet.

An Arsenal academy graduate, Wilshere made his debut for the Gunners senior side at the age of just 16. He would then head to Bolton Wanderers on loan, making 14 appearances for them in the 2009/10 Premier League season. Wilshere would return to Arsenal and lift the FA Cup with the North London side twice in 2014 and 2015.

Persistent injuries would end his time at Arsenal in 2018. After leaving the Gunners, he would have a somewhat nomadic career, including spells at Bournemouth and West Ham. Things got so bad he would spend almost a year without a club. Wilshere eventually landed at the Danish club, Aarhus GF. He would play only 14 times for the Danish Superliga, before calling time on his career. Internationally, he would win his first England cap in 2010, still very much a teenager.

The Stevenage-born midfielder would represent his country 34 times. He found the back of the net twice for the Three Lions. Both of his international goals came in the same fixture against Slovenia in 2008. Wilshere would not have a good time at international tournaments. He appeared at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil where England would not make it out of the group stage. Two years later, he was part of the Three Lions side to be dumped out of the Euros early by Iceland.