Football: Northern Ireland record goalscorer Furness retires

Northern Ireland's Rachel Furness has announced her retirement from both club and international football.

Furness, 36, bows out as Northern Ireland’s all-time leading goalscorer — across both women’s and men’s teams — having netted 38 goals in 95 appearances for the senior women’s side.

She has been a cornerstone of the national team since making her debut in March 2005 and she played a vital role in helping Northern Ireland qualify for their first ever major tournament, the 2022 Euros.

Furness featured in all qualifying matches, scoring several key goals, including a decisive strike in the play-off win over Ukraine that sealed an historic place at the finals. She went on to appear in all three of Northern Ireland’s group matches at the tournament.

At club level Furness has represented a host of top teams in England and abroad. Her club career included spells with Sunderland, Reading, Tottenham Hotspur (loan), Liverpool, Bristol City and Icelandic side Grindavík. She also enjoyed two stints with her childhood club Newcastle United, where she finished her career this season, scoring twice in 18 appearances.

In the Women’s Super League the attacking midfielder made exactly 100 appearances and scored 13 goals.

Her final appearance for Northern Ireland came in a UEFA Nations League match against Hungary in October 2023, while her last international goals were a memorable brace in a 9-0 win over North Macedonia at Seaview in November 2021. Her first senior international goal came back in October 2005 against Romania.

Furness said: “I gave everything to football and in return, it rewarded me with so much more than I could have imagined.”

Paying tribute to her, Northern Ireland senior women’s team manager Tanya Oxtoby added: “Rachel has been the ultimate professional the entire time I have known her, whether she’s been in the squad or not. The respect she’s shown, and her ability to always put the team first, speaks volumes about her character.

“She came into the last two camps and gave the squad a real lift to ensure we got the job done — that really speaks to the person she is. I’m so glad we could send her off in style. She has done so much for this country.”