Former Arsenal goalkeeper Sari van Veenendaal has announced her retirement from football despite being only 32.

Sari van Veenendaal has announced her retirement at the relatively young age (for a goalkeeper) of 32.

Speaking to the media, van Veenendaal admitted she no longer wanted to be on the pitch every day and, instead, would prefer to have fun in other areas of her life.

“It has always been all or nothing for me,” van Veenendaal said.

“I have wanted to win every day and I am privileged to have won several prizes during my career, with the European Championship in 2017 as the absolute highlight.

“I don’t want to be on the pitch every day and always have to get the best out of myself.

“Now it’s time for fun things outside of football. The choice to retire is my own choice and this is the right time for me.”

Van Veenendaal started her footballing journey with FC Utrecht in 2008 before spending five seasons with FC Twente.

It was that spell that earned her a move to Arsenal where she won the FA WSL Cup in 2015, the FA Cup in 2016, another FA WSL Cup in 2018 and the FA WSL league title in her final campaign.

At the end of her contract in 2019, van Veenendaal signed for Atletico Madrid before joining PSV Eindhoven a year later on another free transfer.

With her country, van Veenendaal also won the 2017 UEFA Euros, the Algarve Cup and also finished as runners-up in the 2019 World Cup.