Ruud van Nistelrooy to announce shock retirement?

Sad news for van Nistelrooy fans. Speculation had been rife that the Dutch footballer is about to announce his retirement from sports, at age 49, with immediate effect.

UPDATE 23/03/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Being a footballer isn't fun anymore

“As we get older, there are phases of life that we enter into, and being a footballer-coach 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.

#ThankYouRuud

For a little while on Sunday evening, #ThankYouRuud 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.

“Ruud van Nistelrooy was unlike any other footballer we’ve ever seen! #ThankYouRuud”
— @universalObserver, 22 Mar 2026

“van Nistelrooy wasn't retired?”
— @borisB0, 22 Mar 2026

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