Jamie Carragher, the former Liverpool and England footballer, is facing the prospect of bankruptcy following a petition filed by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) over an unpaid tax bill estimated between £700,000 and £800,000. The petition was submitted to the High Court in London on Wednesday.

Carragher, 48, spent his entire professional playing career with Liverpool, making 737 appearances and featuring prominently in the squad that won the UEFA Champions League in 2005. Since retiring from professional football in 2013, he has worked as a pundit for Sky Sports and CBS Sports and regularly appears on Gary Neville’s podcast, "Stick To Football."

An HMRC spokesperson said the tax authority aims to support customers with tax debts and prefers to assist those who engage in repayment plans rather than resorting to bankruptcy proceedings, which they consider a last resort. The spokesperson declined to comment on individual cases.

A representative for Carragher described the situation as a private tax matter that "should have been resolved sooner," adding that appropriate steps were being taken to settle the issue. The spokesperson expressed confidence that the matter would not progress further and would be resolved imminently.

The petition comes amid continued scrutiny over tax compliance among public figures, although neither HMRC nor Carragher has publicly disclosed detailed information regarding the underlying circumstances of the debt. The former footballer’s camp has not indicated any objections to the debt claim but emphasized ongoing efforts to address the outstanding amount.

The case remains ongoing, with the potential bankruptcy proceeding contingent on how the situation is resolved in the coming days.