Rachel Furness, Northern Ireland’s record goalscorer, has announced her retirement from football.
At club level, the 36-year-old played for a number of sides in England including Sunderland, Reading, Tottenham, Liverpool, Bristol City and Newcastle United.
After making her international debut in 2005, the midfielder won 95 caps and scored 38 goals for Northern Ireland.
Furness played a key role in NI’s qualification for the Euro 2022 finals – the country’s first major women’s tournament.
Her final Northern Ireland appearance came away to Hungary in the Nations League in October 2023, although she was recently recalled in April’s international window and was part of the squad for Nations League matches with Poland and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
In a video posted on the Northern Ireland X account that shows Furness speaking to her international team-mates, she said: “I’ve had 20 fantastic years. Coming in as a 16-year-old to now, it’s been an absolute blast.
“The progress I’ve seen, especially over the past couple of years, has been fantastic.”
Fighting back tears, Furness added: “Whether I’ve been in it or out of it, I’ve been the biggest fan. Everyone has stories and this is part of my chapter. I’m going on to a new chapter now which I’m really excited for.
“I’ve been in football a long time and I’d like to think over the years I’ve made a difference, especially with Northern Ireland. That’s all I ever wanted; I wanted to make a difference and help pave the way for all you coming through.”
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