Miedema criticises schedule amid retirement calls

Manchester City forward Vivianne Miedema has hit back at calls for her to retire following multiple long-term injuries, instead saying women's football needs more physical and mental safety.

Miedema, who was sidelined for over three months earlier in the season due to a knee injury, suffered a season-ending hamstring injury while on international duty with the Netherlands in April.

In a post on Instagram, the 28-year-old showcased her rehabilitation, explaining her desire to return to the pitch, and criticised the women's football schedule.

"So for the people telling me it's time to retire: thank you very much for your well-meant and educated opinion. But I don't care and it ain't time yet," she said.

"And I will say this over and over again, to the people in charge of the football calendar, it is time to realise the current schedule will need to change for players physical and mental safety."

An ACL rupture in December of 2022 disrupted Miedema's final two seasons at Arsenal, limiting her to just eight WSL appearances at the club she spent seven years playing for.

Having made just 11 league appearances for City since joining in 2024, Miedema said she had to find the mental strength to come to terms with missing more games.

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"It took me a couple of days to get my head around being injured again and to find the needed motivation to start rehab," she wrote.

"Not because this is a massive injury or because it's been extremely painful, but simply because it's s--t having to miss out on games again and not being able to help out the team anymore this season."

City, who have endured a busy March, playing eight matches in 29 days across four competitions, have been struck with a plague of long-term injuries this season with nine of their first-team players sidelined.

During the FA Cup semifinal against local rivals Manchester United, forward Mary Fowler was struck with an ACL injury which will sideline her for a prolonged period of time.

Meanwhile, England internationals Alex Greenwood and Lauren Hemp have only just returned to training following months out with knee and ankle injuries respectively.

In between club matches, many players including Miedema played in the April international window, with the scheduling leaving just four days between international and domestic league football.