Anita Asante, a defender for Aston Villa and England, has announced her retirement at the end of the season. The footballer has 71 caps for England, including two World Cups, and was a member of Team GB in the 2012 Olympics in London. This season, she has been a fixture for Villa, appearing 21 times to help them finish tenth in the Women’s Super League.
Asante is now with Villa in the Women’s Super League, but she has previously played for Chelsea, Rosengard, and Arsenal. She wrote on Twitter: “On the eve of my 37th birthday, it’s time to announce my retirement from football at the end of the season. I want to thank my family, teammates, managers, fans, and all the clubs I have played for. To say it’s been a privilege is an understatement. It’s been a dream.”
Asante began her career at Arsenal, where she was a member of the team that won the Premier League, Premier League Cup, FA Cup, and UEFA Cup in 2007 to complete a historic quadruple. The defender then moved to Chelsea before playing for Sky Blue FC, Chicago Red Stars, and Washington Freedom in the United States.
Through her work in the media and with groups such as Show Racism the Red Card, Amnesty International, and Goals for Girls, Asante has committed to continue to support women’s football once she retires. Fans and players have been congratulating her on an outstanding career in which she has won 18 club titles. Before returning to Chelsea and then joining Villa in 2020, Asante spent five years in Sweden, where she won trophies with both Goteborg and Rosengard.
Asante competed in two World Cups and three European Championships at the international level. Asante’s WSL season and career are both down to two matches. On the 1st and 8th of May, the club will face Arsenal and Birmingham City, respectively.
