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Chelsea’s ex-England defender Bright retiresImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Millie Bright has been Chelsea’s captain since 2023ByEmma Sanders
Chelsea captain Millie Bright has retired from football with immediate effect.
The 32-year-old made 294 appearances for the Blues after joining from Doncaster Belles in 2015 and also won 88 caps for England.
The defender won eight Women’s Super League titles with the Blues – including six in a row between 2020 and 2025 – as well as six FA Cups and four League Cups.
But the former England defender has not featured for the Blues since February because of an ankle injury and has decided now is the time to end her career.
“Representing Chelsea over the last 12 years has been everything to me, but I’m now ready to say goodbye to playing football,” reported Bright.
“I’ve given all I can, and I never wanted to fight for any other badge.
“It is now time, and I’m ready to go into a new era. I’m always going to be Chelsea, but just in a different way.”
Bright will go down as one of the most influential figures in English women’s football.
The defender retired from international duty last October, having picked up her 88 caps over a nine-year spell.
She was instrumental in the Lionesses’ Euro 2022 victory, starting all six matches as they claimed a first major trophy.
She also wore the captain’s armband as England reached the 2023 World Cup final and was a dependable leader throughout her career.
However, she withdrew from the Euro 2025 squad – a tournament England went on to win – stating she was “not able to give 100% physically and mentally”.
Her position in the side was no longer certain, with younger defenders Maya le Tissier, Esme Morgan and Lotte Wubben-Moy continuing to progress with England.
As a result, Bright was able to turn her attentions fully to Chelsea this season in the hope of leading them to a seventh successive WSL title.
But it has not gone to plan for Sonia Bompastor’s side with Chelsea sitting six points adrift of leaders Manchester City with two WSL games remaining.
They were knocked out of the Champions League quarter-finals by Arsenal but won the League Cup and are in the FA Cup semi-finals.
It has not been the fairytale ending Bright would have hoped for personally as she has been forced to sit out since February with a frustrating ankle injury.
That was no doubt a contributing factor in her decision to retire, with her contract coming to an end in the summer and question marks over her future.
Ben Haines, Ellen White and Jen Beattie are back for another season of the Women’s Football Weekly podcast. New episodes drop every Tuesday on BBC Sounds, plus find interviews and extra content from the Women’s Super League and beyond on the Women’s Football Weekly feed
More to follow.
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