India's trailblazing goalkeeper Aditi Chauhan announces retirement from football
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.
New Delhi, Jul 17 (PTI) Exactly a decade after becoming the first Indian woman to play professional football in Europe, the trailblazing Aditi Chauhan has decided to announce her retirement from the game after a career spanning 17 years.
'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 added.
During a successful international career, Aditi, who caught everyone's attention after being signed up by West Ham United for the Women's Super League in England, 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.
'I gave everything to the game — my focus, my fire, my body — all in pursuit of that No. 1 jersey for India. But behind the highlights were the quiet battles: the fear of the unknown, the pressure to justify that my path was valid, and the persistent question from society – 'How would you possibly make a living playing football?' 'And then, the injuries. Coming back not once, but twice from ACL injuries, I believe I set an example for other players that one could overcome anything with mental courage. The pain, the doubt, the silence – it was a battle I had to win from within.' She spent two seasons with West Ham before returning to India in early 2018, before joining Gokulam Kerala FC for the 2019-20 Indian Women's League.
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.
'What I'm most proud of as a professional athlete is the consistency. Across 17 years, I kept coming back — through setbacks, through injuries, through every doubt — and earned the No. 1 spot time and again.' 'My parents stood by me, picked me up when I needed, pushed me when I slacked a bit. Everything that I am, the things I've been able to achieve have been possible because of my mom, who's quietly just ridden this crazy ride with me and I can't thank god enough for giving her as my mom.' In her final season, she played a key role for the newly-promoted Sribhumi FC, helping the Kolkata-based side to a third-place finish in the IWL.
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. PTI AH AM AH AM AM
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
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