Former West Ham defender Carl Jenkinson retires at 34 after candid admission

Former West Ham United defender Carl Jenkinson has announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 34.

Jenkinson spent two seasons on loan with the Hammers from Arsenal between 2014 and 2016, becoming a regular during his first campaign at Upton Park.

The former England international has now called time on his playing career after leaving Bromley this summer. Injury problems restricted his opportunities during his final two seasons, with Jenkinson making only a handful of appearances during Bromley’s promotion-winning 2025/26 campaign. TalkSPORT reported his retirement on Sunday.

Thank you to everyone who played a part in my journey, from my Charlton days as a kid through to my last time playing football at Bromley. From the age of 8 football has been my life, it’s given me a lot, and I have also given it a lot back. In fact I’ve given it everything.… pic.twitter.com/nNzTv6i0bq

— Carl Jenkinson (@carljenkinson) August 16, 2026

Carl Jenkinson reflects after West Ham and Arsenal career

Jenkinson used his retirement announcement to speak openly about the confidence issues he experienced during his career.

Rather than simply marking the end of his playing days, the defender reflected on the mentality required to remain in professional football and encouraged younger players to combine talent with hard work and humility.

West Ham supporters will remember Jenkinson most fondly from his first loan spell in east London.

He established himself as Sam Allardyce’s first-choice right-back during the 2014/15 season and subsequently returned for another year after West Ham were unable to secure him permanently.

ReadWestHam recently ranked Jenkinson among the players to have represented both West Ham and Arsenal, alongside names including Declan Rice, Łukasz Fabiański and Freddie Ljungberg.

Jenkinson ultimately made more than 50 appearances for West Ham across his two loan spells before later representing Birmingham City, Nottingham Forest, Melbourne City, Newcastle Jets and Bromley. Soccerbase records 32 league appearances during his first West Ham loan and another 20 league outings during the second.

His career also included one senior England cap and an FA Cup triumph with Arsenal.

At 34, Jenkinson has now brought an end to a career which took him from Charlton Athletic’s academy to the Premier League, international football and spells in Australia before finishing back in London.