England: How Euro 2022 changed Steph Houghton's potential retirement plans

Steph Houghton has opened up on the injury that perhaps dealt her the biggest heartache of her career so far.

In September 2021, she tore her Achilles and had to undergo surgery, which sidelined her from both domestic and international football for several months.

Eager to captain England at a home Euros this summer, the defender pushed to return to fitness in time, but did not make the final cut.

Any injury is a huge blow but one that denies you the chance of representing your country at a major tournament will always feel that little bit more painful.

Despite being back at St George’s Park for training with the Lionesses, Houghton was told she would not be part of Sarina Wiegman’s Euro 2022 squad.

Writing for the Players’ Tribune, the 34-year-old relived the moment she received the crushing news.

“Honestly, I’ve never packed a suitcase so fast in my life. In my head I was just thinking, ‘I just need to get out of here as soon as possible.’

“I was devastated. After everything I’d been through, I just wanted to go home, to be with Stephen [her husband].”

In the absence of the long-serving England captain, Arsenal’s Leah Williamson was given the armband.

She led the team to their first major title and ended the country’s 56-year wait for silverware.

Houghton was among the millions to celebrate England’s historic win, and she backed her teammates from the very start, but it was a seriously difficult situation for her.

“I was so desperate to be there that when I wasn’t selected, I wasn’t sure how good it was for me mentally to watch the tournament,” she admitted. “I was so frustrated because I felt like I had so little closure. The whole thing just felt strange.

“I texted all of the girls before the tournament and before