Chelsea Star player has today announced his retirement from football after shocking scenes

One of the most significant decisions in the history of Chelsea Football Club was made by interim head coach Roberto Di Matteo when he selected Ryan Bertrand to start on the left flank for the 2012 Champions League final. Bertrand, who was only twenty-one years old at the time, had just a dozen top-flight starts to his name and had never played in the Champions League before. Notably, he was also a left back by position.

Remarkably, Bertrand became the first player ever to make his debut in a Champions League final and win the trophy, famously known as the “Big Ears.” This achievement ensured his place in club history as one of the Heroes of Munich. However, Bertrand’s Champions League career was short-lived; he played only three more games in the competition the following season before leaving Chelsea in search of more regular playing time.

Now 34 years old, Bertrand has announced his formal retirement from professional football. After departing Chelsea in 2014, he had a highly successful seven-year stint with Southampton. In 2021, he joined Leicester City, but injuries limited him to just a handful of games over two years. His contract expired last summer, and he has been without a club since then.