Matildas veteran Larissa Crummer will retire from football at the age of 28 to spend more time with her family and pursue plumbing in Australia.
Crummer signed with Norwegian side SK Brann in March last year and advanced with them to the quarter-finals of this year’s Champions League.
But after a 3-1 defeat to Barcelona (5-2 on aggregate), the striker told local media she would hang up her boots and return to Australia.
“It was a pretty emotional ending,” he told Norwegian outlet Bergens Tidende.
“When I thanked the fans I was very emotional. I’m happy to finish here in such a high place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
“I think playing in these types of finals is everyone’s dream and I’m glad I made the decision to come here and play for Brann.”
Crummer, who has played more than 30 times for the Matildas since 2015, said he felt he needed to spend more time with his two children and wife Jodi, whom he married last year.
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“I’ve dedicated 28 years to football, so it’s time to change it up and be a good mother and be there for the family for once,” she said on the paper’s football podcast.
“It was definitely not an easy decision.”
“They’ve put me first for so long, now I think it’s time I finally put them first.
“With the two little ones being so little, I’m missing out on a lot. I can’t wait to be home and finally be part of the family again.”
There’s no rest for the former Brisbane Roar star, who said he would fly home immediately to spend his first Easter with his family and start his new job on Wednesday.
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