Former Arsenal star Theo Walcott admits life after football is 'scary'

Former Arsenal star Theo Walcott has admitted that life after football is 'scary' after announcing his retirement from the sport this summer.

A Premier League regular since 2006, the England forward made the decision to hang up his boots this summer, aged 34, and explore other avenues outside of the sport.

Making his debut as a pundit for Sky Sports Super Sunday coverage, Walcott admitted that life without football is daunting, but he's looking forward to something new.

Walcott appeared alongside Micah Richards and Roy Keane and told presenter Dave Jones; 'You don't retire from life and now I feel like the world has opened up and I want to adventure and try new things.

'It's exciting but scary. I'd be lying if I said it was fine.'

Walcott started his career at Southampton before making the headline-grabbing move to Arsenal in January 2006, aged just 16.

The teenager was then sensationally called-up to Sven Goran Eriksson's England World Cup squad for the tournament in Germany without even making a first-team appearance for the Gunners.

He became the youngest player to appear for the Three Lions when he made he debut aged 17 years 75 days against Hungary in May 2006. It would be the first of 47 caps he'd win for his country, scoring eight goals.

After making his Arsenal bow the same year, Walcott would go on to play nearly 400 times for the Gunners, netting 108 goals and winning three FA Cups with the club.

Walcott left north London in 2017 to move to Everton, before returning to his first club Southampton three years later.

However, after three final seasons at St Mary's and following the Saints' relegation to the Championship, Walcott decided to call it a day.

In all he made 564 appearances in his professional career, scoring 129 goals.