Scotland midfielder Kim Little retires from International football

Arsenal and Scotland  midfielder Kim Little has announced her retirement from international duty with Scotland after amassing 140 caps for her country.

The 31-year-old has taken the decision to bring the curtain down on her international career before the 2023 Women’s World Cup qualification campaign begins this month.

Little, who was a part of the Great Britain squad that competed at Tokyo 2020, will now shift her focus towards the beginning of the new Women’s Super League (WSL) season with club side Arsenal.

In a statement, Little said: “Stepping away from playing international football is something I have been considering for a while and I feel now is the right time to make that change.

Little will continue her club career with Arsenal, where she has played since 2017

“I am proud of the 15 years I have spent representing the national team. I have developed and grown as a person through my experiences representing my country and know they will help me in countless ways in the future.

“Thank you to my team-mates for being incredibly empowering and inspiring women. My most vivid and fondest memories are from being by your side on and off the pitch through good times and some challenging times, pushing for progress for the women’s game.

“I now look forward to supporting you all from afar and can’t wait to watch you perform and continue to improve the women’s game in Scotland, paving the way for more young girls to have a career as a footballer.

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“I want to wish Pedro (Martinez Losa) and the team all the very best for the up-and-coming qualifiers in September and for the rest of the campaign and beyond.”

Little scored 59 goals on the international stage, helping Scotland to qualify for their first major tournament in the shape of Euro 2017, which she missed through injury, and the 2019 World Cup.