Martin Johnson to announce shock retirement?

Sad news for Johnson fans. Speculation had been rife that captain of the 2003 world champion England rugby team is about to announce his retirement from sports, at age 56, with immediate effect.

UPDATE 03/05/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Being an athlete isn't fun anymore

“As we get older, there are phases of life that we enter into, and being an athlete just isn't fun anymore,” he might have said, says a source who remained anonymous. Other reports hinted that he may branch out into other creative fields he is better at (and more interested in), though they didn't provide any details.

#ThankYouMartin

For a little while on Saturday evening, #ThankYouMartin was a trending hashtag on Twitter. As many fans reminisce and look back on all the unforgettable memories, some may wonder what about now made him make the decision.

“Martin Johnson was unlike any other athlete we’ve ever seen! #ThankYouMartin”
— @universalObserver, 2 May 2026

“Didn't Martin Johnson retire about 3 years ago?”
— @samy2love, 2 May 2026

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