‘Putting on the green jersey is a feeling that you cannot explain, and it doesn’t matter whether it’s a friendly game, a game at the Euros or a competitive game. When you walk out onto that pitch and cross that white line, it’s just the feeling of immense pride. It’s an incredible feeling and I’m so thankful that I got to do that 91 times’
THE 39-year-old Cliftonville Ladies midfielder said it was the right time to end her international career.
Callaghan, who was made an MBE for services to football and the community in The King’s New Year Honours list, announced last May that she would be relinquishing the armband after 52 games and eight years as captain of the Northern Ireland senior women’s team.
She won 91 caps for her country, scoring eight goals. She made her international debut in a friendly against Scotland in May 2010 and she first captained the team in June 2016 in a European Championship qualifier against Georgia. She scored twice in a 4-0 home victory against the Georgians.
Callaghan said: “Putting on the green jersey is a feeling that you cannot explain, and it doesn’t matter whether it’s a friendly game, a game at the Euros or a competitive game.
“When you walk out onto that pitch and cross that white line, it’s just the feeling of immense pride. It’s an incredible feeling and I’m so thankful that I got to do that 91 times.”
And the former national team skipper, who works as a women’s and girls’ football administrator with the Irish FA Foundation, added: “As a player I’ve achieved more than I could ever imagine, as a person as well and as a coach.
“When I was younger, football did so much for me. I’m in the job that I’m in, I’ve got the incredible career that I’ve had in football. I’m me because of football.”
Her high point as captain came when she led the senior women’s team to their first major tournament, UEFA Women’s Euro 2022.
The midfielder’s final appearance for Northern Ireland came against Malta last April in a League B Group 3 encounter in the European Qualifiers phase of the UEFA Women’s Nations League. She wore the armband in the goalless draw played at the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park.
She was included in manager Tanya Oxtoby’s squad for five subsequent UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 qualifiers but was an unused substitute in each game.
Callaghan also revealed that while she does not have definite plans for the future just now, she is determined to be heavily involved in football, through her work and beyond.
She said: “What I do know is that I will continue to coach young players because I feel like I have so much to give them – on the pitch and off the pitch.
“I just want to share my experience with people and if there is any advice or knowledge that I can give a young person who wants to play for Northern Ireland, who wants to reach their full potential, I want to be a voice for those young people’s heads to say ‘I can do this, I can be this, I can dream big and be who I want to be’.”
