Year-Ender 2025 retirements saw icons like Rohan Bopanna, Jordi Alba, and Vandana Katariya step away from their sports
Their achievements span decades, from Rohan Bopanna’s two Grand Slam doubles titles to Vandana Katariya’s 158 international goals and Jordi Alba’s UEFA and MLS successes
Some farewells were celebrated, others left a void, like John Cena’s final WWE match or Virat Kohli not reaching 10,000 Test runs
Every season gives sport something new to cheer. But some seasons ask fans to let go. 2025 felt like a season of goodbyes. From Virat Kohli stepping away from Test whites to Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce crossing her final finish line, familiar faces began to slip out of the spotlight. A generation of kids also watched their hero, John Cena, say a final farewell.
Some retirements came suddenly, others after long contemplation. Still, each goodbye carried weight, a reminder of how deeply these athletes had woven themselves into everyday sporting life.
As part of our Year-Ender 2025, here are 10 athletes whose decision to step away left a void for fans.
Virat Kohli - The 'KING' In Whites Leaves A Void
Retired from Test cricket: 12 May 2025
Virat Kohli ended his Test career after 123 matches, scoring 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85, with 30 centuries, including seven double hundreds. As captain, he led India in 68 Tests, winning 40, the most by any Indian skipper, and oversaw India’s first-ever Test series win in Australia in 2018–19.
His final Test came against Australia in Sydney earlier in 2025. Kohli didn’t just score runs in whites; he changed how India played the format.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce - Pocket Rocket Runs Her Final Legacy
Announced retirement: October 2025
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce closed an 18-year international career as the most decorated 100m sprinter in history. She retires with eight Olympic medals and 17 World Championship medals, including a silver in the 4x100m relay at her final meet in Tokyo.
From Beijing 2008 to Paris 2024, she maintained her elite status across generations. Her retirement marked the end of one of sprinting’s most enduring presences.
John Cena - The Last Time Really Was Now
Final match: 13 December 2025
John Cena’s retirement stuck. After nearly 25 years in WWE, the 17-time world champion wrestled his final match on 13 December 2025 in Washington, D.C., submitting to Gunther. More than championships, Cena became a symbol, of resilience, loyalty and an era kids grew up watching. When he finally stepped away, it wasn’t storyline drama. It was closure.
Rohan Bopanna - Longevity Rewarded
Retired: 1 November 2025
Rohan Bopanna retired at 45, having achieved what few do late in sport. A two-time Grand Slam champion, 26-time ATP title winner, and world No. 1 in men’s doubles, Bopanna became the oldest first-time Grand Slam champion after winning the 2024 Australian Open. His career spanned over two decades, carrying Indian tennis through eras with consistency and quiet excellence.
Rohit Sharma - Hitman Closes His Test Legacy
Retired from Test cricket: 7 May 2025
Rohit Sharma stepped away from Tests with 4,301 runs in 116 innings, including 12 centuries. His red-ball resurgence as an opener redefined his legacy in the format. Rohit captained India in 24 Tests, winning 12, and chose to retire before the 2025–26 cycle began. It was a decision rooted in timing, not decline.
Jordi Alba - One Last Trophy
Retired: 6 December 2025
Jordi Alba signed off after helping Inter Miami win the 2025 MLS Cup, starting the final alongside Sergio Busquets. Across his career, Alba won six La Liga titles, the UEFA Champions League, Euro 2012 with Spain, and the 2022–23 UEFA Nations League. Known for his tireless overlaps and chemistry with Lionel Messi, Alba retired still contributing at the highest level.
Vandana Katariya - The Flagbearer Steps Off The Field
Retired from international hockey: 1 April 2025
India’s most-capped women’s hockey player, Vandana Katariya, ended her international career after 320 matches and 158 goals. She remains the only Indian woman to score an Olympic hat-trick, achieved at Tokyo 2020.
A two-time Olympian and multiple Asian and Commonwealth Games medallist, Vandana’s retirement closed a defining chapter in Indian women’s hockey.
Achanta Sharath Kamal - The Table Tennis Maestro Leaves The Stage
Retired: 29 March 2025
Sharath Kamal bid farewell at the WTT Star Contender Chennai, ending a career that spanned five Olympic appearances and 13 Commonwealth Games medals. Even at 42, he remained India’s highest-ranked men’s singles player. His exit wasn’t about stepping aside - it was about signing off on his own terms.
Steve Smith - The Master Batter’s Final ODI
Retired from ODI cricket: 5 March 2025
Steve Smith announced his ODI retirement immediately after Australia’s Champions Trophy semi-final loss. He finished with 5800 runs, 12 centuries, and played key roles in World Cup wins in 2015 and 2023. Smith continues in Tests and T20Is, but his departure from the 50-over format marked the end of a golden Australian middle order.
Heinrich Klaasen - Shockingly Klassy Goodbye
Retired from international cricket: 2 June 2025
Heinrich Klaasen stepped away from international cricket after 60 ODIs and 58 T20Is, choosing to prioritise family and franchise commitments. His 174 against Australia at Centurion remains one of the most destructive ODI innings ever played. Klaasen exited at his peak, which is why the void felt immediate.
These are just some of the athletes who defined the retirement season of 2025. Many more stepped away, leaving fans with a mix of emotions, some farewells felt complete, others raised lingering questions, and a few, like Kohli falling short of 10,000 Test runs, left a quiet sense of unfinished business.
As 2025 comes to a close, we celebrate a season of farewells that honored the incredible careers of some of sport’s greatest athletes.
