James Milner was born on 4 January 1986 in Wortley, Leeds, and came through the Leeds United Academy after being spotted playing local youth football in Horsforth. He made his Premier League debut for Leeds in November 2002 at just 16 years and 309 days, and by Boxing Day that year had become the youngest player to score in the top flight — a record that stood until 2005. After Leeds were relegated in 2004, he moved to Newcastle United, where he made over 100 appearances and won the UEFA Intertoto Cup in 2006.
A loan spell at Aston Villa led to a permanent move in 2008, and Milner won the PFA Young Player of the Year award in 2010 before signing for Manchester City. At City he collected two Premier League titles, one FA Cup, one League Cup, and one Community Shield. He then joined Liverpool on a free transfer in 2015, where his trophy haul grew further to include the UEFA Champions League (2019), a third Premier League title, the UEFA Super Cup, the FIFA Club World Cup, and domestic cup doubles.
A versatile, industrious midfielder capable of playing in multiple positions across midfield and at full-back, Milner has built a career on consistency, work rate, and technical reliability. He has earned 61 senior England caps, scoring once, and appeared at two World Cups (2010, 2014) and two European Championships (2012, 2016).
Now at Brighton & Hove Albion, Milner continues to add to a Premier League appearance record that stands at 657 and counting, having played in the English top flight for over two decades.