England midfielder Jill Scott has announced her retirement from football after a distinguished top-level career.
The 35-year-old’s decision to hang up her boots comes just over three weeks after helping the Lionesses to Euro 2022 glory.
Scott had been without a club after leaving Manchester City at the end of last season.
The north-east native earned 161 senior international caps after making her England debut in 2006 and scored 27 goals for the national side.
She said in the Players’ Tribune: “I may be saying my goodbyes to football, but we’re going to make this a celebration. No sad faces!! We’ve had too much fun for any tears.
“Maybe it’s because I’m from Sunderland, but two things have always been true about me: I’ve always been stubborn and I’ve always loved football.
“It’s been in my blood ever since I was five years old. I saw a load of boys playing in the school yard and I walked straight up to them and said the four magic words…’Can I play too?’.
“Imagine, if you would have told me then that I’d go on to play for England for 16 years?
“If you would have told me that I’d live to see 90,000 people packed into Wembley Stadium for a women’s European final? And that I’d be playing in it? Impossible.”
Scott began her career with hometown Sunderland before spending seven years at Everton and then joining City in 2013. She later had loan spells back at Everton and Aston Villa. She won every domestic honour during her time in the game, including the Women’s Super League title with City in 2017.
Other career highlights include scoring England’s winner against Holland in the Euro 2009 semi-finals and also netting in City’s 2017 Women’s FA Cup final victory over Birmingham. She also represented Great Britain at the 2012 and delayed 2020 Olympics.
She made four substitute appearances in England’s triumphant Euro 2022 campaign, including the final against Germany.
Her retirement follows that of England team-mate Ellen White on Monday.
