Micah Richards is one of the most popular football pundits on television.
The former Manchester City star is a larger-than-life character and his infectious personality and laugh definitely puts smiles on faces throughout the UK and indeed the world.
Richards began his professional career at City after ‘bursting onto the scene’ out of the academy and into the first-team as a youngster. He would then play for Fiorentina and Aston Villa before calling time on his playing days early.
Thereafter, Richards moved into the world of punditry and has made a name for himself on Sky Sports, the BBC and CBS Sports among other outlets and podcasts.
Here’s a look into the life of Micah Richards as we answer all of your frequently asked questions.
Micah Richards age
Richards was born on June 24, 1988 in Birmingham before moving to Leeds as a young boy. He would then start his youth career at Leeds United.
As of February 2025, the pundit is 36 years old.
How tall is Micah Richards?
Micah Richards’ height is 5 feet 11 inches (180cm). However, Richards was more renowned for his imposing physique and power as a player.
Did Micah Richards play for Aston Villa?
Yes, Micah Richards played for Aston Villa between 2015 and 2019. He signed for the Villa Park outfit on a free transfer after being released by Manchester City.
His first season ended in disaster as Villa were relegated from the Premier League to the EFL Championship with Richards captain of the club throughout the campaign.
Richards struggled for minutes under new manager Steve Bruce and would eventually leave the club at the end of the 2018/19 season.
Micah Richards net worth
According to Idol Networth and EssentiallySports, Richards boasts a net worth of $45 million, which equates to £35.1 million.
Of course, the former City star earned his fortune in professional football and continues to work within the game as a pundit for Sky Sports, BBC and CBS Sports.
Towards the end of his Man City career, he reportedly earned a salary of £60,000 per week. Richards would then earn £42,219 per week at Fiorentina and £50,000 per week with Aston Villa [Capology].
Micah Richards wife
According to the Daily Mail as recently as March 2024, Micah Richards does not have a wife and has never married. He revealed on CBS Sports Golazo that he doesn’t believe in marriage.
It is unknown whether Richards is in a relationship at the moment.
Micah Richards stats
Here are Micah Richards’ season-by-season stats for Manchester City – where he spent 10 years of his professional career at between 2005 and 2015 – as well as Fiorentina and Aston Villa.
All stats sourced from Transfermarkt:
Manchester City
- 2005/06 – 16 appearances, 1 goal
- 2006/07 – 34 appearances, 1 goal, 1 assist
- 2007/08 – 29 appearances
- 2008/09 – 50 appearances, 1 goal, 1 assist
- 2009/10 – 29 appearances, 2 goals, 2 assists
- 2010/11 – 31 appearances, 3 goals, 2 assists
- 2011/12 – 37 appearances, 1 goal, 6 assists
- 2012/13 – 8 appearances
- 2013/14 – 10 appearances, 2 assists
- 2014/15 – 1 appearance
Major trophies: Premier League (x1), FA Cup (x1)
Fiorentina & Aston Villa
- Fiorentina (loan) – 19 appearances, 1 assist (2014-2015)
- Aston Villa – 31 appearances, 2 goals, 1 assist (2015-2019)
Why did Micah Richards retire?
Micah Richards retired from professional football aged just 31 after being released by Aston Villa at the end of the 2018/19 season.
Ultimately, perennial issues with a knee injury led Micah to announce his retirement after playing just 31 games across the previous four years for Villa.
He told The Rest is Football podcast – on which he is a regular alongside Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer – in October 2023: “I finished (my career) officially I think at 31, but realistically it was 29.
“Think of my career, I have talked about how I burst on the scene and we have a bit of a laugh with it. At Manchester City, I was always in the top three picks.
“You know when you are playing in training in five-a-side, I was always top three picks. I went to Fiorentina and I was always like top five picks.
“So we go away with Aston Villa and bear in mind Aston Villa are not a great team. They have got like five or six youngsters coming in and you have the first-team, I remember, the thing is though it wasn’t even five-a-side, it was nine-a-side.
“You had two captains, and you know whoever is looking after the session, you are thinking I want to be captain and not get embarrassed, and he put two of the younger lads as captain.
“And honestly, pick one goes. Pick two, three, four and it gets to about ten, we’re halfway through at this point.
“I am thinking, have they not seen my career? I’ve won the Premier League! I’ve won the FA Cup! I burst on the scene!
“I am not even exaggerating, I was the last pick. It was time. It continues into the dressing room that Micah was last pick. That was demoralising and that’s when I knew it was time to go.”
Roy Keane and Micah Richards
Are Roy Keane and Micah Richards friends?
Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane and Micah Richards have struck up an unlikely friendship over the years.
The pair appear together regularly on Sky Sports’ coverage of the Premier League, namely the broadcaster’s flagship show ‘Super Sunday’.
Richards, in an interview with The Athletic in May 2022, opened on on his relationship with Keane – who he describes as a ‘diamond’ – and admitted he was starstruck when first meeting the Irishman.
Richards said: “I don’t really get starstruck. I did with (Patrick) Vieira when he came to Man City and working with Thierry Henry on CBS, but Roy… he’s a Manchester United captain, a legend.
“And with the greatest respect to me, I shouldn’t even be allowed to sit next to him. But Roy is everything I didn’t expect him to be.
“It’s hard to explain without going over the top, but there’s this perception that he’s an angry, old… but he’s the nicest, most considerate guy.
“And on the other hand, I think I’ve helped bring out a side of him that a lot of people wouldn’t see. And I take great pride in that.
“I know I sometimes go a bit over the top in terms of getting reactions, but I love working with him. It’s almost awkward because Roy Keane has asked me to go for a coffee, you know what I mean?
“I decided just to disagree with whatever he said. I prodded him, poked him and didn’t back down. I think he liked the way I held my own.
“Ever since then, it’s been brilliant. We’re lucky to have him at a time when Manchester United aren’t doing so well, because he’s so passionate about the club. He’s one of the nicest people I’ve met in broadcasting. He’s a diamond, he really is.”
What happened between Roy Keane and Micah Richards?
In September 2023 during a Premier League match between Arsenal and Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium, Roy Keane was allegedly headbutted by a 42-year-old man as the Irishman made his way down to the pitch to provide post-match analysis for Sky Sports.
Fellow Super Sunday pundit Micah Richards was with Keane during the altercation and can be seen on video pinning the 42-year-old man against the wall.
Police then confirmed that a 42-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of assault (actual bodily harm), as reported by The Sun.
Is Micah Richards an Arsenal fan?
In March 2024 during CBS Sports’ coverage of Arsenal vs Porto in the Champions League, Richards reaffirmed that he was an Arsenal fan growing up as a boy.
During the show, he could be seen wearing an Arsenal jersey with ‘Micah 2’ on the back with fans at the Emirates Stadium serenading the pundit with chants of “Micah Richards (is) a Gooner!”
As quoted in The Mirror, Richards said: “Everyone knows I was an Arsenal fan growing up but I have so much respect for Man City.”
Richards previously declared on The Rest is Football podcast that he was a Gunners fan: “I grew up an Arsenal fan.
“Not a lot of people know that actually because I went to Manchester at 14, everyone thinks I’m a Manc. I’m actually a Leeds lad. And I loved Thierry Henry and (Patrick) Vieira.”
