Micah Richards facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Micah Richards

Richards during Manchester City's Premier League victory parade in 2012
Personal information
Full name	Micah Lincoln Richards
Date of birth	(1988-06-24) 24 June 1988 (age 37)
Place of birth	Birmingham, England
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Position(s)	Right-back
Youth career
	Leeds City School Boys
0000–2000	Leeds United
2000–2001	Oldham Athletic
2001–2005	Manchester City
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2005–2015	Manchester City	179	(6)
2014–2015	→ Fiorentina (loan)	10	(0)
2015–2019	Aston Villa	26	(1)
Total		215	(7)
International career
2003–2004	England U16	2	(0)
2005–2006	England U19	3	(0)
2006–2011	England U21	15	(3)
2006–2012	England	13	(1)
2012	Great Britain Olympic	5	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Micah Lincoln Richards (born on June 24, 1988) is an English football expert and former professional player. He played as a right-back, which is a defensive position on the right side of the field.

Richards started his professional career with Manchester City. He played 245 games for them over ten seasons. During this time, he helped the team win a Premier League title and an FA Cup. After playing for Manchester City, he spent a season on loan at Fiorentina in Italy. In 2015, he joined Aston Villa.

Richards played 31 games for Aston Villa until October 2016. He had several knee injuries that limited how much he could play. He officially stopped playing football in July 2019. After retiring, he became a well-known football pundit, sharing his opinions and analysis on the sport.

When he made his first appearance for the full England squad in November 2006, Richards became the youngest defender ever to play for England. He played 13 games for England between 2006 and 2012. He also played for the Great Britain squad in the 2012 Olympic football tournament.

Micah Richards' Football Journey

Starting Out in Football

Richards warming up for Manchester City before a match in 2008

Micah Richards was born in Birmingham, but he grew up in Chapeltown, Leeds. He started playing football at a young age. He first played as a striker for the Leeds United youth team. However, he left the club when he was about eight years old. He also played for Leeds Schools FA (Leeds City Boys). Later, Richards changed his position to play as a centre-back or right-back.

He then played for the Oldham Athletic youth team. At 14, he moved to Manchester City. Richards worked his way up through Manchester City's youth and reserve teams. In 2005, he signed his first professional contract with the club.

Playing for Manchester City

In the summer of 2005, Richards joined Manchester City's main team for the Premier League Asia Trophy. He made his first team debut on October 22, 2005, against Arsenal. He came on as a substitute late in the game. Richards later said this was the most memorable day of his life.

His first start came on February 12, 2006, in a 3–2 win against Charlton Athletic. He scored his first goal on February 19, heading in a corner kick to draw 1–1 against Aston Villa in the FA Cup. At the end of the 2005–06 season, he had played sixteen games and scored one goal.

In July 2006, Manchester City turned down an offer of £5 million for Richards from Tottenham Hotspur. He signed a new four-year contract on July 25, 2006. At the start of the 2006–07 season, he helped his team keep two clean sheets. Richards played in almost every game until December when he got a leg injury. He returned to play on December 26, 2006. He was nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year award at the end of the season. He played thirty-five games and scored once that season.

For the 2007–08 season, Richards continued to be a key player. He helped Manchester City's defense keep three clean sheets in the first three league games. His good performance earned him the Barclays Player of the Month award for August. On September 16, 2007, he became City's youngest ever first-team captain at 19 years old. He said it was the "proudest moment" of his career. In February 2008, Richards signed a new contract until June 2013. He played twenty-nine games in all competitions that season.

Richards playing for Manchester City in 2010.

At the start of the 2008–09 season, Richards returned from injury. He played his first full game on July 17, 2008. He helped Manchester City reach the UEFA Cup group stage. Richards kept his spot as right-back, even with competition from other players. On March 22, 2009, he scored his first goal of the season. It was a header that gave his team a 1–0 win against Sunderland. He played fifty games and scored once that season.

In July 2009, Richards got swine flu while on holiday. He recovered and played in the club's pre-season games. At the start of the 2009–10 season, he helped the team keep three clean sheets. On September 12, 2009, he scored and helped set up two goals in a 4–2 win against Arsenal. Richards faced competition for his position but often played as a centre-back or right-back when needed. He scored two goals that season. He played twenty-nine games and scored twice in all competitions.

Richards passes the ball as Luis Henríquez looks on; Manchester City were playing against Lech Poznań in November 2010.

Before the 2010–11 season, Richards said he wanted to stay at Manchester City. He played in the first five league games of the season. On August 23, 2010, he helped set up a goal in a 3–0 win over Liverpool. Richards continued to compete for the right-back position. On November 27, 2010, he scored his first goal of the season in a 1–1 draw against Stoke City. He scored two more goals in the FA Cup that season. Richards started for City when they beat Stoke City 1–0 in the 2011 FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium. He played thirty-one games and scored three times that season.

At the start of the 2011–12 season, Richards helped set up two goals in the first two league games. In August, he signed a contract extension until 2015. He made his UEFA Champions League debut in a 2–0 loss against Bayern Munich. Richards became a regular starter at right-back. He helped set up two goals in games in October, including one in a 6–1 win over rivals, Manchester United. He played his 200th game for Manchester City on October 29, 2011. On November 19, 2011, he scored his first goal of the season and set up another in a 3–1 win over Newcastle United. Manchester City won the Premier League in 2011–12. Richards was nominated for the club's Player of the Year award. He played thirty-seven games and scored once. He also had five assists, which was the most for any defender in the Premier League.

Richards (second left) on an open-top bus victory parade after Manchester City won the Premier League, 2012.

At the start of the 2012–13 season, Richards had an ankle injury from the Summer Olympics. He returned to play on October 6, 2012, in a 3–0 win over Sunderland. However, he got a knee injury later that month and was out for four months. He returned to the first team on April 17, 2013. He played eight games in all competitions that season.

For the 2013–14 season, Richards wanted to earn his starting spot back. He had a thigh injury in August. On September 24, 2013, he made his first appearance of the season, captaining the team and setting up a goal in a 5–0 win. He played his first Premier League game of the season on October 19, 2013. Richards captained the team again in a 2–0 win over Bayern Munich in the Champions League. He had a hamstring injury in December. He returned to play on January 15, 2014. Richards' playing time was limited that season. He made only two league appearances. Manchester City won the league again in 2013–14.

Before the 2014–15 season, Richards was expected to leave Manchester City. He made his only appearance of the season for Manchester City in a 3–0 loss against Arsenal in the FA Community Shield. On June 10, 2015, Richards left Manchester City.

Loan to Fiorentina

On September 1, 2014, Richards joined Fiorentina in Italy on a loan for the season. He made his Fiorentina debut on September 18, 2014, in a UEFA Europa League game. He came on as a substitute and helped set up a goal in a 3–0 win. Three days later, he played his first league game for the club. On September 28, 2014, Richards made his first start in Italy's Serie A league. He played 10 league games and 7 European games for Fiorentina.

Playing for Aston Villa

On June 17, 2015, Richards signed a four-year contract with Aston Villa. He joined the club for free. He was given the number four shirt for the new season.

Richards was named Aston Villa's captain for the upcoming Premier League season on August 5. In his first game three days later, Villa won 1–0 against AFC Bournemouth. On November 28, 2015, he scored his first goal for Villa. It was a header that tied the game in a 2–3 loss to Watford. Richards then had a knee injury and missed four games. He returned to play on December 26, 2015. He scored his second goal for the club in a 1–1 draw against Wycombe Wanderers in the FA Cup. As captain, Richards tried to help the team avoid being relegated from the Premier League. At the end of the 2015–16 season, he played twenty-eight games and scored two goals.

After Villa was relegated, Richards stayed with the club. His first game of the 2016–17 season was on August 10, 2016. He captained the team in a 3–1 loss to Luton Town. He made his first start in the Championship season on October 15, 2016. However, he was sidelined with a knee injury until the new year. He played three games in all competitions that season.

Richards did not play any games in the 2017–18 or 2018–19 seasons due to ongoing knee problems. He was released by Aston Villa at the end of the 2018–19 season. On July 26, 2019, at age 31, he announced he was retiring from playing football.

Micah Richards' International Career

Playing for England's Youth Teams

Richards played two games for the England under-16 team. He was also called up to the England U18 and England U19 teams.

Playing for England's Under-21 Team

On August 16, 2006, Richards made his England U21 debut in a 2–2 draw against Moldova U21. He played regularly for the under-21 team. He was part of the squad for the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Sweden. He scored the winning goal against Finland, helping England reach the final. England lost 4–0 to Germany in the final. Richards played in four of England's five games, including the final. He captained England U21 on three occasions.

Playing for England's Senior Team

In November 2006, Richards was called up to the England squad for a friendly game against the Netherlands. He had only played 28 professional club games at that point. He started the match on November 15, 2006. This made him England's youngest-ever defender, breaking a record held by Rio Ferdinand. The game ended in a 1–1 draw, and experts praised Richards' performance.

He scored his first goal for England in the UEFA Euro 2008 qualifier against Israel on September 8, 2007. Richards played regularly when Steve McClaren was England's manager, making 11 appearances.

However, after McClaren left in November 2007, Richards played less for England. Under the next manager, Fabio Capello, Richards only played once. He spoke about his frustration, saying he didn't know why he wasn't given a chance.

After Capello resigned in February 2012, Richards was called back to the England team. However, when the new coach, Roy Hodgson, chose his squad for UEFA Euro 2012, Richards was not included.

Playing for the Great Britain Olympic Football Team

On June 28, 2012, Richards was chosen as one of the older players for the Great Britain squad at the 2012 Summer Olympics. He said it was an honor to be part of the team.

Richards played the full game in the tournament's first match against Senegal, which ended in a 1–1 draw. He started all the remaining games. Great Britain was knocked out of the tournament by South Korea U23 after a penalty shootout.

Micah Richards' Media Career

After he stopped playing football, Richards started working as a pundit. He appears on Sky Sports and BBC Sport, on both radio and television shows like Match of the Day. He also became a part of CBS Sports's UEFA Champions League coverage. He is known for his fun and insightful discussions with other football experts.

Micah Richards' Personal Life

Micah Richards' family comes from Saint Kitts and Nevis. His father moved from Basseterre to England in the 1960s. Richards has said his father was a big influence on his career. His first cousin, Atiba Harris, is also a former professional footballer. Richards has two brothers who also played football. Although he likes Leeds United, he supported Arsenal because of Ian Wright, who he admired for his character and goal celebrations. Richards did well in school, getting good grades in Maths, English, and Science.

Richards has been involved with Kick It Out, which is a campaign against racism in football. In October 2012, he was among some footballers who chose not to wear a Kick It Out anti-racism T-shirt. This was to show their concern about the organization's actions on racism in football.

In February 2022, Richards and fellow pundit Chris Sutton spoke about mental health issues they faced during their playing careers.

Micah Richards has a son.

Career Statistics

Club Appearances and Goals

International Appearances and Goals

Source:

England score listed first, score column indicates score after each Richards goal.

International goals by date, venue, cap, opponent, score, result and competition

No.	Date	Venue	Cap	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition	Ref.
1	8 September 2007	Wembley Stadium, London, England	6	Israel	3–0	3–0	UEFA Euro 2008 qualification

Awards and Achievements

Manchester City

• Premier League: 2011–12
• FA Cup: 2010–11

England U21

• UEFA European Under-21 Championship runner-up: 2009

Individual Awards

• Premier League Player of the Month: August 2007
• Young Sportsperson of the Year: 2007

Images for kids

• 

  Richards during Manchester City's Premier League victory parade in 2012

• 

  Richards warming up for Manchester City before a match in 2008

• 

  Richards playing for Manchester City in 2010.

• 

  Richards passes the ball as Luis Henríquez looks on; Manchester City were playing against Lech Poznań in November 2010.

• 

  Richards (second left) on an open-top bus victory parade after Manchester City won the Premier League, 2012.

See also

In Spanish: Micah Richards para niños