"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."
"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% of the time."
Millie Bright announced her retirement from football, having left Chelsea after a successful career. She has returned to her family's farm, celebrating personal milestones. Bright expressed feeling 'at peace' with her decision, acknowledging the mental and physical challenges she faced, particularly over the last two years. She withdrew from the England squad due to her inability to perform at her best, which led to significant abuse. Bright emphasized the importance of recognizing athletes as humans with lives outside of sports.
Read at www.bbc.com
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