Sierra Leone defender Steven Caulker has announced his retirement from international football at the age of 32, after earning 20 caps for his country.
The announcement came a day after he stepped down as skipper of the Leone Stars amid his claim of the broken system following Sierra Leone’s failed attempt to reach Morocco in 2025.
The former Liverpool and Tottenham player joined Turkish club Keçiörengücü in July 2024 on a one-year deal, with an option for another year. He debuted on August 9 in the league opener against Sakaryaspor.
Caulker played an important role in Sierra Leone’s 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) campaign. He helped the Leone Stars achieve a goalless draw against Algeria and a 2-2 draw against Ivory Coast.
“I have made the difficult decision to retire from international football. I have played in 20 matches and participated in 1 AFCON tournament,” he wrote on his LinkedIn page.
Caulker started his professional career with Tottenham Hotspur in 2009. He spent three seasons on loan at Yeovil Town, Bristol City, and Swansea City.
While at Swansea, he made his first appearances in the Premier League. At the end of that season, he represented Britain at the 2012 Olympics. In November 2012, he scored in his first game for England in a friendly match against Sweden.
In October 2021, Caulker said he was waiting for FIFA to approve his switch from England to Sierra Leone. He played his first match for Sierra Leone in a friendly against Morocco, where the team lost 2-1.
On December 17, FIFA allowed him to play in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations. He was part of Sierra Leone’s squad and played in all three group matches. The team drew with Algeria and Ivory Coast but lost to Equatorial Guinea, finishing third in their group with two points.
Caulker made one appearance for England, his birth country, in a 4-2 loss to Sweden in November 2012 before switching his allegiance to Sierra Leone last year.
