Chelsea and England legend Millie Bright announces her retirement from football - 'I'm ready to say goodbye'
Updated 29/04/2026 at 11:09 GMT+1
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Millie Bright announced her retirement from football on Wednesday, ending her trophy-laden time in the sport and asserting herself as a legend for both Chelsea and England.
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Bright hangs up her boots having won 20 trophies during her time at Chelsea and was a vital cog in the Lionesses' historic 2022 UEFA Women's Euros victory.
The 32-year-old said that she would work as an ambassador for Chelsea after stepping away from playing.
"I’ve been thinking about my future for a while now. There have been so many factors to consider, but I have decided that I'm ready to say goodbye to playing football," Bright said.
"I'm ready to go into a new era. Representing my club and wearing the Three Lions for my country has been everything to me and beyond my wildest dreams, but I'm now ready to say goodbye to playing football. I'll always be England and Chelsea's biggest fan."
Bright joined Chelsea in 2014 having begun her football career at Doncaster Belles.
She quickly established herself as a mainstay in the first team and was part of the club’s first trophy win in 2015. Bright was named the team's captain in September 2023.
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Chelsea went unbeaten on the way to the WSL title in 2023-24 WSL title, with Bright playing 3173 minutes across 36 appearances.
In November 2025, Bright broke the record for the most appearances in the Women's Super League.
In her 12 years with Chelsea, she made 314 appearances and helped the club win eight WSL titles, six Women's FA Cups and three League Cups at Chelsea.
"We thank Millie for her incredible contribution to Chelsea and are delighted to announce she will be staying on at the club as a trustee of our foundation, continuing her passionate work in supporting others, which began while she was representing us on the pitch," the club said.
The club said it would hold a special presentation to honour Bright's services before their final WSL game of the season against Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on May 16.
"This club means everything to me. In my career and my life, Chelsea has been the reason for getting up every single day and pushing through the hard times to get back to the good times," Bright wrote in a letter to Chelsea fans.
"I owe everything to this club. The people that I've met, the friends that I've made, and of course, the memories. I can take those recollections home with me and when I have kids, tell them all about my career, show them the pictures and the trophies. It's been the biggest gift.
"I never expected what has happened in the last 12 years. I never even expected to be a footballer, let alone be a professional, playing for one of the biggest clubs in the world, and lifting all those trophies together."
Bright made her England debut in September 2016, going on to earn 88 caps and score six goals.
She played in the heart of defence as the Lionesses won Euro 2022 on home soil and later captained them to the FIFA Women's World Cup final in 2023 where they eventually lost to Spain.
She announced her international retirement in 2025.
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Bright also represented Team GB at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. England announced they will pay tribute to Bright's "outstanding contribution to English football" at a future Lionesses game.
”Millie has played such a big role in the growth of the women’s game, with both England and Chelsea, and she has achieved so much along the way. What she has given to her club and country is incredible," Lionesses head coach Sarina Wiegman said of Bright.
"It is hard to put into words the impact she has had. She has inspired so many people, pushed standards and shown girls and boys what can be achieved in the sport.
"Winning Euro 2022 and captaining England to the World Cup final in Australia says so much about her, but it is not just about the trophies with club and country. She has also earned great respect through the way she has committed herself to the game."
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