Indian national women's team goalkeeper Aditi Chauhan has announced her retirement from professional football on Wednesday after a after a career spanning 17 years.
The former India women's team goalkeeper, 32, now wants to work off the pitch and build a "stronger pathway and ecosystem" for the next generation.
“After 17 unforgettable years, I’m retiring from professional football with deep gratitude and pride,” she wrote in a post on social media.
Aditi caught everyone's eye in 2015 when she became the first Indian woman to play in the Women's Super League in England when she signed for West Ham United.
On the international front, Aditi donned the India jersey 57 times and, among others, was part of the senior teams that won the SAFF Women's Championship in 2012, 2016 and 2019.
“This game gave me more than just a career; it gave me an identity. From chasing a dream in Delhi to carving out my own path all the way to the UK, where I pursued my Master’s in Sports Management and played for West Ham United – I walked a road with no clear map. I never had to choose between education and passion. I fought hard to do both, and that balance has defined me,” she said.
At the domestic level, Aditi won the Indian Women's League (IWL) title with Gokulam Kerala FC in 2019-20 and 2021-22 besides reaching the semi-finals of the AFC Women's Club Championship and securing a third-place finish.
As she steps away from the pitch, Aditi said she still has "plenty left in the tank to give to the sport" that made her the person that she is today.
"As I now step into life beyond the pitch, I carry that belief with me – not as a player anymore, but as someone committed to building a stronger pathway and ecosystem for the next generation.
"My second half is about giving back to the game that gave me everything," Aditi wrote.
"The formula remains the same: dream big, believe in yourself, and put in the work," she signed off.
(With PTI inputs)
