Lionesses legend Scott calls time on her playing career after Euros win with England
JILL SCOTT joked about not wanting to see any sad faces after bringing her glittering playing career to an end.
The Lionesses midfielder - who played in 10 major tournaments – announced her retirement today at age 35.
Scott’s announcement comes a day after her Lionesses pal Ellen White called time on her playing spell at 33.
And both stars signed off with a flourish helping England to a Euros trophy win at Wembley last month.
In a farewell message published by The Players Tribune, : “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. When you love football, it’s not rational.
"You pour everything you have into it, and it’s like you don’t even notice that you’re doing it.
“I’ll never forget, when I was about 18 or 19 years old, I was trying to break into the England team, and Hope Powell said something to all of us players that is so true:
“If you want to play for England, you have to be obsessed.”
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“When I was younger, I didn’t really understand what she meant.
"But looking back on my career now, and what a ridiculous journey it has been, she was absolutely right.
“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.”
Scott is currently England’s second-highest appearance maker behind Fara Williams with 161 senior caps and 27 goals.
The midfielder began her senior club-playing career at Sunderland at 18 in 2004 before an Everton move in 2006.
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After three years with the Toffees, with whom she won a league title and FA Cup, Scott switched to Manchester City.
And she helped the Citizens to win three FA Cups, three Conti Cups, and one league title.
The Sunderland-born WSL ace played for England at the last four World Cups and three Euros featuring in two tournament finals.
England chief head coach Sarina said: “It will be hard to imagine an England squad without her as she has been an icon of the team for so long.
“To be able to play at the highest level for so long tells you how good a player Jill has been.”