England midfielder Fran Kirby has announced her immediate retirement from Lionesses duty, just two days before Sarina Wiegman is due to name her squad for this summer’s Euros. Kirby, a veteran of the group, made 77 appearances for her country and scored 19 goals. She earned the nickname ‘mini Messi’ for her short stature and impressive dribbling ability.
It comes a week after Mary Earps rocked the England camp by stepping back from international football in a surprising turn of events. She opted to retire after losing her place in the team with Hannah Hampton emerging as the first-choice goalkeeper. The sudden nature of her decision angered Wiegman, who was planning to include Earps in her squad for the Euros.
Kirby, meanwhile, confirmed her retirement on Tuesday after being left out of the England squad which lost to Spain. She informed her team-mates immediately after the final whistle before explaining her decision in an interview with BBC Sport.
“It is something I have been thinking about for over a year,” said Kirby. “I knew this was going to be my last major tournament. The plan was to retire after the Euros but after speaking to Sarina I’m not going to make the squad.
“It was like a dagger to my heart but also a weight off my shoulders all at the same time. It was emotional for both of us but we both respected what each person was saying.”
In a separate interview with ESPN, Kirby added: “I knew it was the moment where I had outstayed my welcome. I don’t want to take the opportunity away from someone who can learn [and which can] set them up for the future.
“I’m not embarrassed by this at all. I gave absolutely everything at the beginning of the year. I’ve given everything my whole career.
“I’m okay with Sarina’s decision because at the end of the day it just wasn’t enough. I’m okay with that as I know I gave absolutely everything.”
Wiegman was quizzed on Kirby’s retirement in her post-match press conference and said: “She’s been unlucky with injuries. For the World Cup and during camps, she always fought back and had some opportunities to play.
“I had a conversation with her over this week again, going forward to this game, and that’s it. She most likely was not going to make the squad. Things can change very quickly but we had these conversations.
“She’s an incredible footballer, her touch, positioning, her vision and game understanding, connections, as a person too, what she had in front of her and coming back every time. She’s an inspiration for a lot of people.”
Kirby is one of the most recognisable female players in the country, having made her England debut back in 2014. She quickly became a key member of the squad and played in every match of their victorious Euro 2022 campaign.
Content Source: www.express.co.uk