Fran Kirby says it was “really tough” to hear she would not make England’s 2025 European Championship squad but that she “respected the honesty” from head coach Sarina Wiegman.
The 31-year-old Brighton and Hove Albion forward announced her retirement from international football following June’s Nations League defeat to Spain.
Kirby had planned to retire after this summer’s Euros, but brought her decision forward after Wiegman told her she would not be in the squad for the Lionesses’ title defence in Switzerland.
“I invested everything for the whole year to get there (Euro 2025),” Kirby said, speaking at a viagogo event in London. “And (I) had a conversation with Sarina that said it’s highly unlikely that you’ll be going. Which is really tough. It’s tough for an athlete. It’s tough for someone to be told that.
“But I really respected the honesty and having that conversation. So then I could kind of then give her my honesty. I hadn’t told anyone in the team before this moment until I told Sarina that it’s very likely that I will be retiring from the national team.”
Kirby was capped 77 times at senior level and was an important part of England’s Euro 2022-winning side. Wiegman had selected Kirby for Euro 2022 despite her missing the final three months of Chelsea’s season with fatigue, but she went on to start every game at the tournament. She said her exclusion from this summer’s squad was an emotional conversation.
“I can imagine it was tough for her also to tell me,” Kirby added. “There were moments of emotion from both of us, which is obviously normal— we’ve worked together for such a long time.
“I have nothing bad to say about my experience because I’m proud of my international career, and I’m really proud and happy with the way that it ended.”
Kirby’s retirement came one week after goalkeeper Mary Earps called time on her international career, and one day before defender Millie Bright withdrew from selection for Euro 2025 as she said she was “not able to give 100 per cent mentally or physically.”
Kirby said she was unaware of Earps’ and Bright’s upcoming announcements when she arrived at England camp in late May.
She said: “I wouldn’t say it was a surprise, I would just say it was a case of, ‘Okay, they’ve made that decision and I respect it.’
“I will never know the ins and outs of conversations that have been had, I only know about my own situation. But I think when someone makes that decision, it’s for a reason.
“Millie’s come out and spoken about her mental health, which I think is really, really brave.
“Now she’s had the knee surgery as well to make sure that she’s ready for next year. Obviously Mary has her reasons.
“For me, I will just respect everything that they’ve done when they put on an England shirt and the way that they’ve paved the way for the younger players coming through.”
England play Jamaica in their final warm-up fixture on June 29 before beginning their European title defence against France on July 5.
(Photo: Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images)
