Northern Ireland's most-capped female footballer, Rachel Furness, has revealed she stepped away from the sport after reaching breaking point under the pressure of professional football.
In an exclusive interview with BBC Sport NI, published on 15 October 2024, the midfielder said she had no choice but to quit her club side and withdraw from international duty when stress began destroying her performance and well-being.
"I was feeling really overwhelmed and stressed, and I didn't know how to cope with it," Furness told the BBC. "I was trying to push through, but it was affecting my performance on the pitch and my overall well-being."
From Record-Breaker to Breaking Point
Furness, 35, earned her first Northern Ireland cap in 2005 and went on to make more than 90 appearances for her country — a record for a women's team player. She was a driving force in the squad that qualified for UEFA Women's Euro 2022, the team's first major tournament.
But behind the milestones, the demands of club football, international travel, and the relentless scrutiny that comes with visibility in the women's game were taking their toll.
She left her then-club, Bristol City, in 2023 after a single season and took several months away from football entirely. During that time, she sought professional support and began rebuilding her mental health before eventually returning to the game with a clearer perspective on what she needed to stay well.
'It's Okay to Not Be Okay'
Furness is now speaking publicly in the hope that others in sport — particularly young women — will feel able to do the same.
"I want to encourage people to talk about their mental health," she said. "It's okay to not be okay, and it's okay to ask for help. I'm not ashamed to say that I struggled, and I hope that by sharing my story, I can help others feel more comfortable opening up about their own struggles."
Her intervention comes at a moment of growing — but still uneven — openness about mental health in women's football. While high-profile male players such as Marcus Rashford and Ben Chilwell have discussed burnout and anxiety, their female counterparts often face additional pressures, including financial insecurity, media sexism, and the expectation to grow the game while competing at elite level.
Dr. Misia Gervis, a sports psychologist who has worked with England women's teams, said Furness's candour is especially significant in this context.
"When female athletes speak about stepping away because of mental health, it challenges the narrative that women should simply be grateful to be playing professionally," Gervis said. "Rachel is showing that survival in this sport means looking after your whole self, not just your physical fitness."
A System Still Catching Up
Furness was careful not to blame any single institution for her crisis, but she did make clear that football as a whole must do more.
"I know that I'm not alone in this," she said. "There are so many people out there who are struggling with their mental health, and I want to let them know that they're not alone. We need to create a culture where people feel comfortable talking about their mental health, and where they're supported and encouraged to do so."
Research published by the International Olympic Committee in 2023 found that elite women athletes report anxiety and depression at roughly double the rate of their male counterparts. Yet specialist mental health provision remains patchy across women's club football, particularly outside the top tiers.
Northern Ireland manager Tanya Oxtoby, who took charge in 2023, has made player welfare a priority and has previously spoken about her own experiences of depression. A spokesperson for the Irish Football Association said the governing body had expanded its mental health support services for senior women's squad members earlier this year.
Back in the Game
Furness has since returned to club football, signing for Newcastle United in the 2024 close season. She has also resumed her international career, though she says she now manages her workload more deliberately and checks in regularly with a counsellor.
Her return, she insists, does not mean the struggle is over — only that she is better equipped to face it.
"I want people to understand that this isn't a story with a neat ending," she said. "It's something I work on every day. But I love football, and I wasn't ready to let it go. I just had to learn how to hold onto it without losing myself."
