Ellen White reveals "traumatic" incident that played huge role in her retirement – GIVEMESPORT

Ellen White has broken her silence on one of the main reasons why she decided to retire from professional football following Englands historic Euro 2022-winning summer.

Off the back of her emotional retirement statement, the Lionesses all-time top goalscorer has shed light on a traumatic incident that left her with a punctured lung last year.

White revealed the injury was a big factor in her decision to hang up her boots and look towards the next chapter in her career.

The former Manchester City star suffered a lung injury after receiving acupuncture for a back spasm issue following the 2020 Olympics.

Acupuncture is a form of alternative medicine, derived from traditional Chinese practice, where thin needles are inserted into the skin. It is most often used in attempt to aid pain relief.

White helped Great Britain reach the quarter-finals at the Tokyo Games before returning to City, who arranged for an external specialistto perform the treatment.

The club reportedly outsourced the acupuncture specialist due to a high amount of injuries in the Man City camp at the time.

Speaking to BBC Sport, White revealed the treatment had punctured her lung, which was a lot for me to have to go through and a big reason that accelerated my want to retire.

The 33-year-old admitted if someone had suggested two or three years ago that she would retire in 2022, she would not have believed it.

However, her injury hampered her fitness and it is something she is still trying to work out.

It punctured my lung which isnt something that happens normally, obviously, White said. It was a really traumatic time for me and something that Im still figuring out now, still working through.

The puncture left White unable to exercise due to being constantly short of breath.

She revealed she had a needle put into her chest to drag all the air out to help the lung inflate again.

White was able to return to the pitch and reach huge team and individual milestones, but she is still affected by the injury and admitted she feels a phantom pain as though it is still there.

Its important for me now to tell my story, and say it was a big factor in my year and leading up to the decision of wanting to retire. Obviously there are other factors that come into that as well.

I dont want it to happen to anybody else again is my main thing. I dont want to walk away from the sport having not told it and not say that I want things in place for it not to happen to anyone else.

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White leaves behind a magnificent legacy on the football pitch and bows out following a history-making summer at Euro 2022.

In November 2021, the striker earned her 100th cap for England and followed up in the next match by becoming the Lionesses top goalscorer.

She surpassed Kelly Smiths tally and came within two goals of beating Wayne Rooneys all-time record of 53 goals scored for England. She hangs up her boots with 52 goals scored in 113 appearances for her country.

The evergreen White also boasts the second highest goal return in Womens Super League history. With 61 goals in Englands top flight, she is behind only Vivianne Miedema, who leads the table with 74 goals for Arsenal.

On the international stage, White has represented England at three World Cups, including the bronze medal finish in 2015. She was also called up to Team GB for two Olympic Games. She was named England Womens Player of the Year in 2011, 2018 and 2021.

During her domestic career, the 33-year-old played for Chelsea, Leeds, Arsenal, Notts County, and Birmingham before joining Man City in 2019.

Throughout her 17 years as a senior player, White won two Womens Super League titles, four League Cups, and three FA Cups. She also won the 2017/18 WSL Golden Boot and holds the record for most goals scored by an England player at the Womens World Cup, as well as being Team GBs female all-time record goalscorer.

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Ellen White reveals "traumatic" incident that played huge role in her retirement - GIVEMESPORT