Detroit City FC Legend Stephen Carroll Announces Retirement from Professional Soccer, Will Join Front Office.
USL Detroit City FC

Detroit City FC Legend Stephen Carroll Announces Retirement from Professional Soccer, Will Join Front Office.

Published on November 19, 2025 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Detroit City FC News Release


Detroit City FC captain Stephen Carroll
Detroit City FC captain Stephen Carroll
(Detroit City FC)

DETROIT - Today, Detroit City Football Club announced that club legend and long-time captain Stephen Carroll (Legacy #95) has retired from professional football and will join the club's front office in 2026. Carroll's time in Rouge and Gold has set the standard for passion, commitment, and performance for future players and captains to come.

The native of Cork, Ireland, is one of eight City Centurions (100+ professional appearances) in club history and was a winner of the club's 2018 Black Arrow MVP Award. He stands alone as the all-time appearance leader for Le Rouge, with 225, the first and only player in club history to have appeared in over 200 competitive matches for Le Rouge.

Since its founding in 2012, the club has played 325 competitive matches (both professional and amateur); therefore, at the time of his retirement, Carroll had appeared in 69% of all DCFC matches.

Carroll played his first match for DCFC at Milwaukee Torrent on May 12th, 2017, and participated in the NPSL Midwest Championship campaign that season. He was elevated to captain in 2019, under Trevor James, and helped the club secure a Great Lakes Division trophy and silverware again that fall when it claimed the NPSL Member's Cup. His tenure during the NISA era of the club yielded a cabinet full of trophies, including a league championship in 2021.

Each of the four seasons he captained DCFC while in the USL Championship saw the club qualify for the postseason, including the 2024 team under Danny Dichio, which holds the current club record for points in a season. Carroll participated in the two most significant upsets in USL Championship postseason history and played his final match against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds on November 8th, 2025, marking 3,059 days between his first and last appearances for Le Rouge.

Six of Carroll's goals were registered in the USL Championship; his total of 15 is good for 9th place on the DCFC all-time list. Two of his assists occurred in the USL Championship; his total of 7 is good for 14th place on the DCFC all-time list.

"Working with Stephen has been an absolute pleasure in my first head coach position. I was very fortunate to come into Detroit as a new coach and have a captain like Stephen within the group. Stephen is a born leader and competitor and has been vital to the team's success over the years. We are going to miss his presence on the field and in the locker room because he is such a big influence on everyone. However, I understand and respect Stephen's decision as he is not only thinking about his health and long-term future but also the club, which he holds dear to his heart. This only shows again what a truly quality person Stephen is." - Danny Dichio, Head Coach of DCFC.

"It is impossible to capture in words what Stephen Carroll has meant to Detroit City and its supporters since he first donned the crest in 2017. Over the course of his epic tenure, he has grown into countless roles -- teammate, captain, husband, father, and friend -- and he has remained a sterling ambassador for the city and our organization every step of the way. We will remain forever grateful for Stephen's countless contributions on and off the field, and we take great comfort in the knowledge that while he is turning the page on his playing career, a new chapter will soon be written as a member of our front office staff. I, for one, am beyond excited to work alongside him and to watch as he dutifully claims his next big role. Thank you, Stephen -- you are the best of City." - David Dwaihy, DCFC Co-Founder and Chief of Soccer Development.

Stephen Carroll retires as the longest-tenured current captain in Detroit professional sports. His complete statement on retirement is as follows:

A good friend once told me to "play until the wheels fall off." Well... consider them officially off. I am retiring from professional football.

From the first day I joined Detroit, I knew we were building something special. We climbed through the U.S. football pyramid together, and it was a grind, to say the least. I'm extremely proud to have played a small part in turning this club into something the whole city could be proud of. Being part of that rise, wearing the armband, and sharing the changing room with some absolute legends will always be some of the best memories of my life.

To my teammates past and present, thank you for the battles, the banter, and the memories that will last forever. To the staff and everyone behind the scenes, you kept me going when my body didn't want to. And when I wouldn't listen. To the supporters, you've been the heartbeat of this club. You made every home game feel like something bigger than all of us. I will be talking about playing Saturday nights at Keyworth for the rest of my life.

To my family, you've been my anchor through it all. And to my wife... you've quite literally carried me these last few years (mentally and physically). I wouldn't have made it this far without you. I want to be able to chase our son around and kick the ball with him when I am older, and to do that, I've got to protect what's left of this knee.

The good news? This isn't goodbye. I'll be sticking around and moving into the front office to help keep pushing this club forward. I'm not done with Detroit, not even close. Just swapping the boots for a desk chair.

Thank you to everyone who's been part of the ride: teammates, coaches, fans, and family. You've all had an unbelievable impact on my career and my life.

It was an honor to be your captain DCTID

Carroll and his family will be honored at a to-be-announced home match during the 2026 season, in the club's second-ever 'Legends Night', centered around his remarkable career at Le Rouge. Additionally, in January 2026, he will join the Detroit City FC front office in a yet-to-be-determined role.

Check out the Detroit City FC Statistics

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Detroit City FC captain Stephen Carroll
Detroit City FC captain Stephen Carroll
   



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