Ellen White has retired safe in the knowledge that she achieved her aim of inspiring future generations.
Few have done more for the women’s game than White, who will be remembered as one of the sport’s trailblazers.
The striker bows out at the top, finishing as England’s greatest female goalscorer and having helped the Lionesses go all the way at Euro 2022.
Winning with England was all she ever wanted and her tears at the end of last month’s Euro 2022 Final showed what it meant to her.
“It has been my greatest honour and privilege to play this game. Playing for England has and always will be the greatest gift,” said the 33-year-old.
“My dreams came true on July 31, winning the Euros and becoming a European champion. 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.”
White has laid the foundations for future players to enjoy the limelight and she leaves the women’s game in a completely different state to when she joined it. Growing up she was banned from playing for her local boys’ team, the story making the front page of her local newspaper in Aylesbury, the Bucks Herald.
White refused to let that stop her and after coming through the youth ranks at Arsenal, she went on to play for Chelsea, Leeds, Notts County, Birmingham and Manchester City.
The striker won the Women’s Super League and FA Cup, but it was with England where she truly made her name. She was capped 113 times by the Lionesses, scoring 52 goals, and this summer was her third European Championship. She took part in three World Cups and her performance at the 2019 tournament, where England reached the semi-finals, made her a household name as she finished joint top scorer.
White was a rare breed of striker in that she was utterly selfless, a fact illustrated by her decision to bow out one shy of Wayne Rooney’s England scoring record despite the Lionesses facing Luxembourg next month (a team they beat 10-0 last year).
White was never concerned about individual glory and that showed on the pitch. Her role at Euro 2022 was to wear down opposition defenders so Alessia Russo could come off the bench to strike the killer blow.
Now, White has been selfless once again as she bows out to let the next generation carry the team forward to next year’s World Cup.
“I want to put everyone before myself,” White said during an interview last season. “I want to be remembered as a good person, someone who is always thinking of others and someone who is kind and loyal.”
White will most certainly be remembered for that.
