2026-05-01 10:27:38
Millie Bright is “at peace” with her decision to retire from football.
The former England defender announced that she was hanging up her boots with immediate effect earlier this week and suggested that the decision stems from the abuse she received after withdrawing from England’s Euro 2025 squad as she felt she couldn’t give the required mental and physical exertion.
Bright told BBC Sport: “Both physically and mentally, I have been ready to say goodbye.
“The mental side of things for me, personally… life’s been very difficult, and the amount of abuse I have dealt with has been too much to handle.
“I think over the past year I have lost myself as a person, and it has taken me a long time to rebuild myself.”
She added: “It was difficult because I was trying to do the right thing for me and the team. I didn’t expect the abuse.
“I expected people to be like: ‘Why are you making this decision?’ I can tolerate that, but to question my integrity, my passion and dedication as a player… I can’t ever accept that.
“We are still humans, we have a life outside of football and I think that is forgotten 99 per cent of the time.”
Bright hasn’t played for Chelsea since February due to a knee injury and explained that she couldn’t bear the thought of going into another season with fitness problems, whilst she also had little interest in leaving the Blues.
She said: “I always said I would retire at the top and retire at Chelsea, so as much as I could’ve kept going, I’m tired, my body is tired, I’m ready for a rest.
“It’s nice that I can feel like it’s my decision, I’ve taken control and I’m at peace with it.
“My mum wrote me a letter, which I’m yet to read fully because I can’t get through it so I need to wait until I’m less emotional. The outpouring of love and support has just been incredible.”
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