Manchester City and former England captain Steph Houghton has announced her retirement from football at the end of the season.
She has played for four clubs in a career which has seen her win 121 caps for her country. Houghton has also won 3 WSL titles, 5 FA Cups and 7 League Cups in her professional career.
Steph Houghton announced on social media that her decision to retire was "such a difficult thing to do", adding "football has been my life; my passion and I have loved the career I have had."
Houghton began her club career at Sunderland, scoring 24 goals in 61 appearances between 2002-2007.
She then moved on to Leeds in 2007, where she won the FA Women's Premier League Cup, now known as the FA Women's National League Cup.
In 2010, Steph Houghton joined Arsenal, winning the WSL on two occasions, as well as lifting the FA Cup twice and the League Cup three times.
In 2014, Houghton joined Manchester City, the club she has now called home for the last decade, and where she will end her career.
Steph Houghton has made over 230 appearances for Manchester City over her 10 years at the club, scoring 22 goals. She will go down in history as a City legend, with the record of most appearances for their women's side.
Although starting her career as a striker, then moving into midfield, Houghton eventually settled as a defender, playing most of her career as a centre-back or full-back.
Since her international debut in 2007, Steph Houghton has played 121 times for England. Although missing the 2007 World Cup with a broken leg and Euro 2009 with a damaged cruciate ligament, she has played in plenty of major tournaments for her country.
Houghton played in the 2011 World Cup, 2012 Olympics, Euro 2013, as well as captaining England in the 2015 World Cup, Euro 2017, 2019 World Cup and the 2020 Olympics.
At her home Olympics in 2012, Houghton scored 3 goals in Great Britain's 4 games, including winners against New Zealand and Brazil, helping Great Britain win their group without conceding a goal. She was also named left-back of the tournament.
In the 2015 World Cup, in her first major tournament as England's captain, Steph Houghton was chosen as Player of the Match during the quarterfinals against Canada, which saw the Lionesses qualify for their first ever semi-finals, and eventually finish the tournament in third place.
Injuries have disrupted the latter stages of her career, leading to her not being picked by Sarina Wiegman in the squad that won the 2022 Euros.
In an emotional Instagram post, Houghton said "I will always be humbled to have made so many domestic appearances, to have captained my country and to have represented England and Team GB in so many international tournaments. I will always be very proud of everything that I have achieved in the game."
She continued "To all the fans, I have never taken your support for granted. The special feeling of hearing 'Super Steph' will forever live with me."
In her retirement announcement, Houghton also discussed the growth of women's football since she started her playing career, saying "The game has moved so quickly from amateur to professional over the last twenty years" and "I hope I leave the game in a better place than when I started, and that I have contributed in some small way to giving the girls of tomorrow a better future in football."
Houghton has the opportunity to end her exceptional career with another trophy, as Manchester City are fighting Chelsea for the WSL title, with the two sides currently sitting level on points atop of the league table.
Manchester City head coach Gareth Taylor said "Steph is - without question - an icon of the game. Although her professional career on the pitch is now coming to an end, her legacy will be felt for so many years to come. She's paved the way for so many to thrive in the future." and "I know her name will be written into the history books as a true footballing great."