Wales Legend Jess Fishlock Announces International Retirement After ‘incredible Journey’

Jess Fishlock, wide regarded arsenic nan Wales Women’s nationalist team’s top player, has announced she will discontinue from world shot aft this month’s location friends against Australia.

The 38-year-old is Wales’ grounds goalscorer, contempt predominantly playing arsenic a midfielder, and their most-capped player, pinch 165 world appearances and 48 goals.

Perhaps moreover much significantly, she has played a talismanic domiciled successful nan squad for astir 2 decades, often being nan standout star, stepping up successful their biggest matches and scoring memorable lucifer winners. She was awarded an MBE for services to women’s shot and nan LGBT organization successful 2018. She became Wales’ first footballer to scope a period of caps successful 2017.

Fishlock cemented her spot successful nan Cymru history books erstwhile she scored Wales’ first extremity astatine a awesome women’s world tourney successful July, uncovering nan nett against France successful St Gallen, Switzerland, during a group-stage conclusion astatine Euro 2025.

“The Euros was nan pinnacle of my shot career; seeing nan dragon connected nan world shape for nan first clip will beryllium a representation that will enactment pinch maine for a lifetime,” Fishlock posted connected societal media. “To each nan players and staff, past and present, diolch [thank you]. It has been an unthinkable journey.”

After starting pinch Cardiff City, she has spent astir of her profession overseas, predominantly pinch nan NWSL nine Seattle Reign, whom she joined successful 2013. She has helped Reign triumph 3 NWSL shields and was named arsenic nan NWSL’s MVP successful 2021, making nan NWSL’s “best XI” 5 times.

Fishlock won nan Champions League pinch Lyon successful 2019 during a indebtedness spell, and has besides had successful loans pinch clubs including Melbourne City and Reading. Her nine profession continues, pinch nan NWSL end-of-season playoffs approaching.

After Wales’ exit from July’s Euros successful Switzerland, Fishlock said she needed a “little clip to think” astir her Wales early and her determination comes earlier nan squad announcement for Wales’ location friendlies against Australia, connected 25 October, and Poland, connected 28 October.