Football Fern Hannah Wilkinson has announced her retirement from football.
Wilkinson made 125 appearances for the Football Ferns and scored 32 goals. She made the announcement on social media this morning.
"It is with some sadness, but with great clarity and relief, to announce my retirement from the beautiful game," Wilkinson wrote on Instagram.
"It's not exactly the way I wanted to go out. I expected to wear the Fern for the final time at the Olympic Games in Paris, hoping to help redeem our disappointing early Women's World Cup exit last year. Blood, sweat, tears, puke (food poisoning at the qualifiers) and pure grit to really make this a good, final one.
"Instead, I found myself on an impromptu French holiday, thankfully with family, and thankfully with many Aperol Spritzes.
"In professional sport, there is only so much you can control. An opinion, sometimes without rational explanation, happens.
"That opinion doesn't define me. I did let it for a little bit. That was a dark space. However, with time, I recognised what a fallacy that is. 14 years representing Aotearoa, 3 Olympic Games, 4 World Cups, and playing careers in the US, Sweden, Portugal, Germany and Australia. So many goals with so many celebrations. Medals, trophies, achievements, personal and team. That is what defines me."
Wilkinson also thanked all of the coaches that helped develop her career and also thanked her supporters.
Wilkinson most recently played for Melbourne City in the A-League women's competition but left the club in June this year after her contract ended.
She made 51 appearances for the club and is currently their all-time leading goalscorer with 30 goals.
The 32-year-old also famously scored against Norway in the Football Ferns 1-0 win in the opening game of the FIFA Women's World Cup.
"I am so excited for the next stage. The boots are hung up, but the canvases, the walls, are out and ready. I've never felt more alive in my creative space, and I'm so amped to see what manifests."
Wilkinson has a passion for painting and last year constructed a mural on a section of Auckland's Eden Park to commemorate the cricket, rugby and football women's World Cups held in 2022 and 2023.
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