Jess Fishlock has reiterated that she is definitely retiring from international football – but she’s not going to cry quite yet.
Instead, she’s set on picking up a win in her last game for Wales as they face Australia in a friendly in Cardiff.
And in a video shared by the Football Association of Wales, she shared some of her favourite memories with her team-mates Angharad James and Sophie Ingle.
“Going to the Euros was a dream come true,” said Fishlock, “but there are so many other games that I have really enjoyed playing in, especially the last five, six years when we have been better and we’ve been allowed to have the ball and play to our strengths a little bit better.
“There’s so many moments I can think back on and smile.”
She also reminisced about her first cap, back in 2006.
“I remember going on camp and thinking I’m not going to play obviously because it’s my first camp, and I was young, and you just don’t think, ‘I’m going to play.’ You’ve got to bed yourself in and you need to learn a lot.”
Jess Fishlock: I want to win!
And when it comes to her final game, she is focused simply on what she will be doing on the pitch, and she’ll save the tears for later.
“I’m excited for the game, Australia, should be fun opposition for us to play.
“I’m excited for it because I’m ready for this moment. It’s not like it’s something that isn’t my choice, it’s not like it’s something that I don’t have any control over. I’ve thought about this really, really hard, and I know it’s the right time. It’s not about whether I can’t be here, it’s more whether I should be here. And you guys, you have to take this forward now. I’ve done all I can. I’m excited to see that.
“And I’m excited to get a chance to play at home for one last game, and be in front of my family…get my mum to be there for one last time, and that’s going to be the best thing for me.
“And so that’s why I am fine and I’m excited. I’m sure it’s going to be emotional at the time, but not probably for me until after the game, because you know what I’m like – I want to win! I do! I want to go on, I want to win, I want to play well, and then I’ll probably start crying like a baby once it finally hits me that it’s over and I won’t be coming back.”
