Laura Coombs to Retire After 147 Manchester City Appearances
laura coombs will retire at the end of the season, bringing a 19-year career to a close after 147 appearances for Manchester City. The 35-year-old midfielder’s decision ends a long run at the Blues and draws a public salute from England manager Sarina Wiegman.
Coombs ends 19-year career
Coombs announced the call herself and will finish once Manchester City complete their season. Her record at the club stands at 147 appearances, a mark that sits alongside a career that has stretched over 19 years.
That span includes an England debut in 2015, two appearances before an eight-year hiatus, and then a return under Wiegman after her performances for City in 2022/23. She was then named in England’s squad for the 2023 World Cup, where the Lionesses reached the final.
Wiegman’s England tribute
Wiegman praised Coombs in direct terms after the retirement announcement. “Laura’s contribution to the game has been significant, and she can be very proud of everything she has achieved, both with England and her success in the domestic game,” she said.
She added: “Representing your country at different stages of the pathway is a special achievement, and Laura’s journey through the development teams to being part of the World Cup squad in 2023 says a lot about her qualities and her character.”
The England manager also said: “In my time working with her, Laura always demonstrated the values of what it means to be a Lioness and made a big contribution to the team at an important time.”
City season ends with Coombs
Wiegman closed by saying: “I wish her well for the next chapter of her career and thank her for everything she has given to the game. We hope to celebrate Laura’s career at an England match in the near future.”
For City, the immediate reality is simple: Coombs remains available through the rest of the season, and her final appearance will arrive when the campaign ends. The next public celebration of her career may come in an England shirt, where her road from debut, to long gap, to World Cup squad now sits as part of a 35-year-old midfielder’s final chapter.
