Thank You, Cookie.

“I’m proud of the longevity I’ve had, and of knowing that I gave everything I could every time I stepped onto the court”.

Stuart Cook (IG - @cookie_12_) leads the England side out against Spain in Loughborough.

In September, English futsal said goodbye to the playing career one of the finest players it has ever produced, and its current Men’s National Team captain, Stuart Cook.

During a 16-year international career spanning from 2009-2025, ‘Cookie’ played 89 times for his country, scoring 33 goals and providing 39 assists.

In December 2024 he returned, after five long years without any national team competition for the futsal Lions, to captain his country in all six of the 2026 UEFA Futsal Euro Main Round qualifiers, inlcuding three memorable home fixtures in front of a full house at Loughborough University.

As he hangs up his boots, we asked Cookie for a few words reflecting on his England career,

“October 23rd 2009, Game 1 vs Israel...and after 16 years of pulling on the England shirt, it’s time to call an end to my international career. It’s hard to put into words what this game has given me — the pride of representing my country, the honour of captaining the team and the joy of being part of some unforgettable moments.

I’m fortunate enough to be the only player to have been a part of every successful qualifying campaign we’ve had and helping push the squad into the Top 50 of the world rankings for a period, which from where we started, outside the top 100, felt unrealistic.

To me, that proved what we could achieve together and the direction the sport can go, given the opportunity and support.

From that first qualification campaign in 2013 out in Lithuania, to battling it out with world's best Spain, even if I was way past my best when they came around.

The journey hasn’t always been easy, as a group or as an individual but the memories, friendships and experiences will stay with me forever. I’m proud of the longevity I’ve had, and of knowing I gave everything I could every time I stepped onto the court. I hope the battles I've faced with injuries throughout show that, with perseverance, you can overcome any hill if you want it enough.

That's futsal in a nutshell though isn’t it? The ability to get knocked back and keep moving forward. Whatever the challenges, we have to persevere and push forward.

While I’ll miss the buzz and feeling of competing at the highest level, I’m excited for what comes next, continuing to coach, support and hopefully inspire future generations to take futsal even further. Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey with me. It has been an absolute privilege.”

ENGLAND DEBUT - October 2009 vs Israel.

The start of a 16-year international futsal career.

FINAL GAME - April 2025 vs Switzerland.

89 caps, 33 goals and 39 assists later.

“Stuart is an England Futsal legend. I’ve had the privilege of lining up against him at club and international level, and coaching him with England. In every situation, he has played the game with bravery, risk, and innovation — exactly how it should be played. A wonderfully gifted player who has had a fantastic international career and is now growing into a coach with the same mindset: bold, willing to take risks, and never standing still. Thank you Cookie!” - Sion Kitson, Head of Development & Technical Lead

We’re delighted that Cookie will be continuing his journey in futsal with us, as both an England Futsal Coach Developer and Performance Pathway coach. His knowledge and experience will be invaluable to our athletes at the start of their exciting careers.

England Futsal and the community wishes you every success for what comes next.

Thank you, Cookie.