Lioness and Manchester City midfielder Jill Scott retires from football

Everton and Manchester City midfielder Jill Scott has announced her retirement from football.

The 35-year-old midfielder was one of the most experienced Lionesses in their Euros winning squad this summer.

Across her 18 year career, Scott spent 15 of them between Everton and Manchester City. She has been one of the most ever present figures during the rise of women's football.

Speaking to The Players Tribune, Scott said: "I may be saying my goodbyes to football, but we’re going to make this a celebration. No sad faces. We’ve had too much fun for any tears.

"If you would have told me that I’d live to see 90,000 people packed into Wembley Stadium for a women's European final? And that I’d be playing in it? Impossible.

"If you don’t love it, you don’t last. You can’t. The dream is what sustains you."

Scott made her England debut in 2006 and picked up 161 caps, making her one of the most capped players for men or women.

Over the years, the midfielder had come close to major tournament silverware on a number of occasions reaching the Euros final in 2009 and the World Cup semi-final in 2019.

She was a tall, energetic ball winning midfielder, who Sarina Wiegman sent on in the final against Germany to use all her experience to see out the match.

Jill Scott also co-owns the Boxx2Boxx cafe in Wythenshawe. The name is inspired by box-to-box midfielders, all-round players who are skilled at both attacking and defending.

Scott runs the shop with her partner Shelly. It opened last year and has welcomed some famous footballers from the North West.

The news follows her City co-star Ellen White's retirement earlier this week.