After more than two decades in football, Scott Carson has officially hung up his gloves. The 40-year-old goalkeeper, who most fans remember more for his steady presence than flashy saves, announced his retirement, closing a 21-year ride that stretched from Leeds United to Liverpool, West Brom, and finally Manchester City.
Carson joined City back in 2019, first on loan, and honestly, not many expected him to stick around this long. He barely featured and played in only 107 minutes spread across two games in six years; however, he is such a great personality that everyone at the club swears by his influence.
Manchester City showed thieir appreciation for the veteran in a post made via their official X account.
They Posted:
Pep Guardiola, for one, often praised him for the vibe he brought to the dressing room. He was that rare veteran voice, the guy who kept things calm when the rest of the room was spinning, but with the arrival of James Trafford in the summer from Burnley, there is just no more need for the reliable goalkeeper.
Interestingly, despite him being 40 in the summer, Pep Guardiola still preferred him as the third option over Steven Ortega, with the club at a point making it clear that Ortega had to leave, although a deal could not be reached.
His few appearances came in moments that City fans still talk about. There was that wild 4–3 win over Newcastle United in May 2021. Carson started, saved a penalty, but conceded three goals in that frantic encounter. Then, in 2022, he came on as a late sub in a Champions League tie against Sporting CP, and the Etihad crowd responded, giving him a roar fit for a hero.
Softfootball understands that as of his retirement announcement, Carson had lifted 12 major trophies, including the 2022–23 treble, Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League, plus the FIFA Club World Cup. He even holds a quirky record: the longest gap between European Cup wins (18 years), from Liverpool’s triumph in 2005 to City’s in 2023. That puts him up there with the likes of Paolo Maldini and Alessandro Costacurta.
He might’ve only been capped four times by England, but Carson’s story isn’t about numbers. It’s about staying ready, staying useful, and being respected in every room he walked into. Not every legend makes headlines; some just make history quietly, and one of them is definitely Scott Carson.
