Recently Retired Arsenal Legend, 35, Reveals His Retirement ‘Dream’ and Pursues Two Unexpected Roles

AARON RAMSEY has set his sights on two goals — to guide Arsenal and Wales.

The former Gunners player, now 35, retired from professional football earlier this month and is now dedicated to pursuing a meaningful coaching career.

With two FA Cup final-winning goals under his belt for Arsenal, he is regarded as one of Wales’ top talents, but he seeks to return to prominence.

In a conversation with SunSport, Ramsey commented: “It’s all about reaching the top. When I commit to something, I strive to do it to the best of my abilities.”

“That will be the goal. We’ll see how things unfold.”

Asked whether leading Arsenal or Wales is in his long-term view, Ramsey, who briefly stepped in as caretaker at his childhood club Cardiff last season, responded: “That would be a dream.”

“I realize there’s a journey ahead before that happens. It’s time to delve into coaching. Absolutely.”

“Having taken charge of Cardiff for a few matches, it confirmed that this is the next step for me. That’s on the agenda moving forward.”

“I’m genuinely excited. I’ve gained coaching experience within the Wales setup, working alongside some wonderful staff, and I’ve also been involved with Cardiff’s U18s, so I’ve kept myself active.”

Ramsey had an impressive 11-year career at Arsenal from 2008 to 2019, making over 350 appearances for the club.

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The former midfielder, who participated in a club event in Indonesia last week, remains hopeful that Mikel Arteta’s squad can clinch a double this season, comprising both the Premier League and Champions League titles.

Arsenal is vying against Manchester City in the title race, while Arteta’s team travels to Spain for a Euro semi-final first-leg showdown with Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.

Ramsey expressed: “I’m still very optimistic and hopeful regarding the league and Europe. Our Champions League performance has been outstanding.”

“Going up against Atletico will be tough; I know from experience they are hard to break down. Still, I’m confident Arsenal has what it takes to reach the final.”

Ramsey announced his retirement after Wales fell short of qualifying for this summer’s World Cup following a heartbreaking penalty shootout defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the play-off semi-finals.

Though it wasn’t the “fairytale ending” he hoped for, the former Juventus player, who has 86 caps and represented Wales in three major tournaments, looks back on his career with pride.

Ramsey noted: “I wanted to keep all options open for as long as I could, yet I recognized many elements had to align for the World Cup to occur.”

“Unfortunately, that didn’t happen, but I felt it was crucial to give myself that chance. I’m at peace with the decision I made.”

“In hindsight, perhaps I didn’t get the fairytale conclusion I envisioned, but looking back at my whole career, I realize it has been a fairytale.”

“I feel immensely honored, grateful, and blessed. Leading my country, scoring FA Cup-winning goals, winning the league in Italy, and reaching the semi-finals of the Euros in 2016 — I cherish it all.”

Ramsey has one more challenge this season – the London Marathon.

He is set to run the 26.2-mile marathon for the first time to raise funds for the It’s Never You Charity, founded by friends Ceri and Frances Menai-Davis, who lost their son Hugh to cancer at just six years of age in September 2021.

Ramsey explained: “This charity holds a special place in my heart. I know Ceri, Fran, and their family.”

“Hugh and my oldest son Sonny were similar in age and used to play together.”

“I can’t imagine the pain Ceri and Fran have gone through. So, supporting them is incredibly meaningful to me.”

Ramsey has been training hard in recent months and is excited to experience the iconic sights of the capital.

“It’s one of the largest marathons, if not the largest. What a fantastic way to start! Participating in this in London, where I spent so many years playing for Arsenal, is special.”

“I’ll probably see more sights than when I lived there. I’m looking forward to running across Tower Bridge, which is such an iconic landmark.”

“That part of the race will be mentally beneficial for me, as it’s around the halfway point.”

For more information about Aaron’s charity run, visit 2026tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/aaron-ramsey.