Former Golden Jags’ captain Matthew Briggs retires at age 32

Sep 01, 2023 Sports

Kaieteur Sports – English-born Guyanese professional footballer Matthew Anthony Briggs has recently announced his retirement from international football at age 32. Known for his fierce style of play as a left-back, Briggs had been a prominent figure for Horsham and had previously held the position of captain for the Guyana national football team.

Briggs, born 6th March 1991 in Wandsworth, London England, began his career with Fulham, where he progressed through the club’s academy from the age of ten. He made his first-team debut in May 2007, becoming the youngest player to play in the Premier League, aged 16 years and 68 days old.

During his tenure at Fulham, he accumulated 13 league showings across an eight-year span, amassing a total of 30 appearances across various competitions. Throughout his progression, he engaged in loan periods with several Football League clubs, including Leyton Orient, Peterborough United, Bristol City, Watford, and others.

Flashback! Matthew Briggs (in front) leading his charges during a Golden Jaguar warm-up-session.

Eligible to represent both England and Guyana, Briggs has represented England at under-16, under-17, under-19, under-20 and under-21 levels, and has represented Guyana at full international level. He was initially summoned to join the Guyana national team in March 2015, ahead of friendly matches against Saint Lucia and Grenada. Subsequently, on March 29, 2015, he achieved his full international debut, contributing to the Golden Jaguars’ 2-0 victory over Grenada.

Following a four-year hiatus from the national team, Briggs reunited with the Guyana squad for the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Notably, on November 15, 2019, he notched his first international goal by converting from six yards, capitalizing on an indirect free kick delivered by Kadell Daniel during a CONCACAF Nations League fixture.

Former Golden Jaguars Captain Matthew Briggs.

During his international career, he made 15 international appearances for the Golden Jaguars. However, despite his accomplishments, he believes the time has come to conclude his playing career and retire from the sport. The announcement came following a social media post on Tuesday, stating, “The time has come for me to hang up my boots. It’s something that has been in the back of my mind for some time now. I’ve struggled with a certain injury for many years now and is one that can’t get better.”

He explained, “I was told a couple years ago when I was playing in Denmark that I should think about retiring but I wasn’t ready to stop playing yet, so I came back to England and continued to play non league and have continued to do that for a couple of years.”

“Unfortunately, the time has come now where my body is telling me to stop playing. Although it’s a hard one having to stop playing at 32, it’s a choice I’ve taken time to make, and I’m at peace with. I’m lucky enough to say I’ve played at the highest level and captained my country at senior level.

I’ve had one hell of a career. I’ve had many highs and many lows, and I’ve learned a lot from them, and it’s shaped me into who I am and what I do today. Now, I am able to put my full focus into my job at Fulham FC and mentoring the next generation of future stars and any avenues and opportunities that come my way,” Briggs concluded.

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