'I did it my way' - Duggan announces retirement

Former England guardant Toni Duggan says her profession has been "more than I could ever person dreamed of" arsenic she announces her status from football.

The 33-year-old has enjoyed an unthinkable profession spanning 17 years, amassing 79 caps for her country, arsenic good arsenic playing for immoderate of nan world's biggest clubs.

She has played successful World Cup semi-finals, Champions League finals and nan biggest cup finals successful nan home game.

Football is each she has ever known.

"I saw an aged interview. I was 27 and playing successful Spain astatine nan time. They asked 'what is your biggest fear?' - and I said 'retirement'," Duggan told BBC Sport.

"It is weird now, sitting here, and coming is nan day. I’ve been truthful fortunate pinch nan profession I’ve had and I’ve loved each azygous minute.

"I conscionable deliberation it’s made maine nan personification I am. I was a small woman who grew up connected nan streets of Liverpool who wanted to play football. I wanted to beryllium accepted.

"We had to conflict for everything we wanted but erstwhile I look back, nan travel has conscionable been much than I could ever person dreamed of.

"To everyone who has played their portion – family, friends, coaches and everyone progressive – convey you."

It is simply a infinitesimal galore footballers fear, and while Duggan has nary contiguous plans, she knows she wants to enactment successful nan game.

Retirement has fixed Duggan a chance to bespeak connected her achievements and what has made her astir proud.

"I ever knew I wanted to play football. [People] said I couldn’t because it wasn’t master - but I wanted to beryllium a footballer," she added.

"I person been myself each on - that’s what makes maine astir proud. I was ever a victor and wanted to triumph from nan first time I kicked a ball.

"To person those trophies and memories is nice. But nan truth I tin locomotion distant and opportunity I did it my way, had fun, competed successful everything and had awesome support, conscionable gives maine memories to past forever."

Duggan's travel began astatine Everton erstwhile she collapsed into nan first squad arsenic a 16-year-old, and she would spell connected to correspond Manchester City, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, earlier returning to Merseyside to decorativeness her career.

She was a cardinal subordinate for England and says it was for illustration "the Lionesses were born" aft nan 2015 Women's World Cup, erstwhile they won bronze.

"Honestly, playing for England were nan champion days of my life. I conscionable loved it. I loved travelling pinch nan squad and having nan laughs we had," said Duggan.

"I deliberation I was [aware of my profile]. It grew. The catalyst for it was nan Women’s World Cup successful Canada. We’ve ne'er really looked backmost since.

"I was truthful proud to beryllium portion of that team. We didn’t travel distant pinch nan golden badge but we decidedly changed nan cognition of women’s football."

Since then, finance has grown and nan Lionesses person delivered, winning Euro 2022 and reaching nan Women's World Cup last successful 2023.

Duggan is proud her procreation were "a portion of each nan firsts".

"There is thing typical and bully astir doing nan 'firsts'. Of course, we would person loved those opportunities, but I don’t look backmost pinch immoderate regrets," she said.

"The first clip Nike decided to do a women’s shot kit, nan first clip we sold retired Wembley Stadium, nan first clip women played astatine Anfield and Goodison Park, nan first clip England won a bronze badge astatine a Women’s World Cup.

"There will beryllium kids successful nan early who person overmuch amended experiences than I did. But that’s nan measurement nan world useful - and hopefully 1 of those kids tin beryllium [my daughter] Luella."

Duggan became 1 of nan first high-profile English players to go a mother successful March 2023, and received maternity salary from Everton.

She says returning from gestation to play successful nan Women's Super League (WSL) for a twelvemonth was 1 of her proudest moments.

"Just coming backmost from it all, going done gestation and coming backmost to being an elite footballer was difficult - but unthinkable arsenic well," said Duggan.

"To person Luella successful nan stands pinch maine past twelvemonth – she was only young and won’t retrieve it, but I surely will. It was a awesome accomplishment and 1 I’m proud of."

Duggan moved to Barcelona successful 2017 and helped them scope nan Women's Champions League final, scoring 20 goals successful 51 appearances earlier joining Atletico Madrid.

English players person now followed successful her footsteps, moving overseas to create their careers, and Duggan believes she helped radiance a spotlight connected nan experience.

"We won each trophy domestically and I felt for illustration I had done it each [at Manchester City]. I conscionable wanted a caller challenge," said Duggan.

"I didn’t beryllium location arsenic a kid dreaming of playing for Barcelona, because, if I'm honest, I didn’t cognize they had a women’s team.

"When nan liking came, I thought 'what an opportunity that is' and I conscionable couldn’t move it down. There were galore others who did nan same.

"But my move was helped by nan truth it was Barcelona and it was correct connected apical of Manchester City’s success. It drew attention."

As she ends her shot career, having achieved truthful much, Duggan's last connection is simple.

"Let’s not go divas aliases untouchables. There is thing typical astir nan women’s game. We person ever been real," she said.

"On different day, our procreation was fighting for each of this. Keep going. The entity is nan limit. The crippled is successful a awesome place. Keep pushing it on."