Mueez Ajao
– Manchester City and England striker Ellen White has announced her retirement from football.
– The 33-year-old scored a record 52 goals for the Lionesses and helped them win Euro 2022.
– White started her career at Chelsea in 2005 and also played for Leeds, Arsenal, Notts County and Birmingham before joining City in 2019.
Also Read: England win Women’s Euros after an emphatic win over Germany
– She made her international debut against Austria in March 2010 and went on to make 113 England appearances.
– White, a three-times England women’s player of the year, led the line as the Lionesses beat Germany in a dramatic Euro 2022 final at Wembley last month to win their first major women’s tournament.
– She retires one short of equalling Wayne Rooney’s record of 53 goals for England.
– “This has been one of the hardest decisions of my life but one that I know is the right decision for me,” said White.
– “This decision has always been one I have wanted to make on my terms. And this is my time to say goodbye to football and watch the next generation shine.
– “It has been my greatest honour and privilege to play this game. Playing for England has and always will be the greatest gift.
– “My dreams came true on 31 July, winning the Euros and becoming a European champion.”
Thank You Football… pic.twitter.com/WmeDGeX9zT
— Ellen White (@ellsbells89) August 22, 2022
– White enjoyed most of her success at club level with Arsenal, winning two Women’s Super League titles as well as two FA Cups and three League Cups. She also won the FA Cup and League Cup in her three years at Manchester City.
– White began her goalscoring exploits for England on her debut against Austria 12 years ago and demonstrated her prowess in front of goal on the global stage with a spectacular lob against Japan at the 2011 World Cup in Germany.
– She missed most of 2014 with an anterior cruciate ligament injury and in June 2016, the then Notts County striker scored her first international goals in nearly three years when she twice found the net in England’s 7-0 win over Serbia in European Championship qualifying.
– Seven more goals followed in 2017 and 2018 before a fruitful spell in 2019 when White finished joint-top scorer at the 2019 World Cup having struck six times during England’s run to fourth place.
– Later that year, White was on target in England’s friendly defeat by Germany at Wembley – a game which attracted a record-breaking crowd for a Lionesses home international of 77,768.
– In November 2021, White became the Lionesses’ record goalscorer, surpassing Kelly Smith’s record of 46, as England thumped Latvia 20-0 to record their biggest-ever competitive victory.
