Former Saints striker Rodriguez announces retirement from professional football

Rodriguez began his career at hometown club Burnley before joining Saints in 2012, where he spent five years and made 126 appearances.

He scored 35 goals during his time on the south coast and was part of the Saints side which reached the EFL Cup final in 2017.

He made his sole England appearance in a friendly against Chile at Wembley in November 2013, while playing for Saints.

Once a Saint 😇 Wishing you well in retirement, Jay Rod ❤️ https://t.co/9reCdhriPZ

— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) November 4, 2026

The forward left St Mary's for West Brom in 2017, joining for a £14million fee after the two Premier League clubs agreed a deal.

He later returned to Burnley in 2019, helping the Clarets secure promotion to the top flight twice across his two spells at Turf Moor.

Rodriguez made 311 appearances for the Lancashire outfit and played more than 250 times in the Premier League during his career.

His final club was Wrexham, where he made 25 appearances and helped the Welsh side win promotion from League One in 2025.

He had been without a club since leaving Wrexham in the summer.