Richards' Olympic choice still haunts England after spurning Hodgson's Euro standby in 2012 and missing a World Cup

Under the bright lights of the London Olympic Stadium, 38‑year‑old Micah Richards recalled the moment he chose the Games over a place on Roy Hodgson’s Euro 2012 standby list, a decision that still colours his relationship with England and has haunted him ever since.

Senior Sports Reporter Fasika Zelealem, writing for Sport, posted the story at 06:00 on 3 October 2026, accompanied by three Images and a View of the narrative.

Olympic decision over Euro standby

Richards turned down Roy Hodgson’s offer to sit on the standby list for Euro 2012, opting instead to represent Team GB at the London Olympics. He later said, “It was one of those. Do I go on standby or play in the Olympics? I wanted to go and play under Stuart Pearce as I knew him from here at Manchester City.”

He added that the choice came after a league title and an FA Cup win the previous season, noting, “We’d won the league that year and the FA Cup the season before. Kyle Walker got injured and I was still being asked to go only on standby.”

Aftermath and media career

Team GB reached the last‑eight of the Olympics before losing to South Korea on penalties, 5‑4, with Richards having featured in every match. Meanwhile, England’s Euro 2012 squad included Glen Johnson and Martin Kelly, but the Three Lions fell in the quarter‑finals after a 4‑2 penalty shoot‑out defeat to Italy.

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Richards earned his 13th and final England cap in a friendly against the Netherlands in February 2012. He reflected, “All I can do is play well. I won the FA Cup and then the Premier League in 12 months and I still didn’t get in. So what can I do?”

After retiring in 2019, Richards became a prominent pundit, covering England’s third‑place finish at the World Cup 2026. He has since appeared regularly on television and in podcasts, building a successful post‑playing career.

In July 2026 he told The Telegraph that he intends to leave mainstream media by the time he is 46 and will not work beyond the World Cup 2034. “By then I’ll have been 15 years a player and 15 years a pundit… I don’t want to work past my sell‑by date,” he said.

He reiterated the plan to The Times, adding that “there’ll be someone else on the sofa by then.” Richards also warned that England often look to younger players if opportunities are missed early, noting, “We’ve got young players coming through now like Kyle and Nathaniel Clyne. Time is still on my side, but England move on.”