Manchester City defender Houghton to retire | OneFootball

Manchester City defender Steph Houghton will retire from playing at the end of the current season.

WSL Full-Time were informed of the news via an official club press release from The Cityzens this evening.

The 35-year-old centre-back has enjoyed a 20-year senior playing career, half of which has been spent with Manchester City. Houghton is the club’s record appearance-holder with 241 appearances. The player has also featured for Sunderland, Leeds Carnegie and Arsenal.

In her club career, Houghton has won 16 trophies including three WSL titles, five Adobe Women’s FA Cups and seven FA Women’s Continental Tyres League Cups.

On the international stage, the defender collected 121 caps for England at senior level. She won three Cyprus Cups and the SheBelieves Cup with the Lionesses.

After Houghton’s retirement was announced, 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.

“Steph has lived and breathed football for such a long time, and she leaves it in the strongest place it has ever been – a true testament to her leadership, hard work, talent, and dedication.

“I feel incredibly privileged to have been able to work with her since 2020 and know her name will be written into the history books as a true footballing great.

“Steph will excel in whatever she puts her mind to, and on behalf of everyone here at Manchester City, I’d like to express our immense gratitude and wish Steph all the very best for the future.”

Houghton will hope to add one final trophy to her collection in the final weeks of her playing career with Manchester City still in the hunt for the Barclays Women’s Super League title.