I have no connection to England. In fact, with a German husband and a German grandmother, my allegiance was heavily in favor of Germany in the Euro final. And as legendary English midfielder Jill Scott was caught on camera making a profane outburst as the game wore on, I was increasingly turned off by her mildly offensive behavior. I thought, “I understand the passion but where’s the sportsmanship?”
But as I reached the bottom of Scott’s farewell to football in The Player’s Tribune, it made sense. Her life in football has been nothing but a fight. A fight to find a team, a fight for the least sucky oversized, hand-me-down jersey, a fight for a roster spot, a fight to break England’s streak of being good but never the best.
So why in the waning moments of a historic match would it be any different?
She could have handled the moment better, but the rage, the profanity, the tensed muscles…it was all part of Scott’s final football fight.
Right, we’re not crying. I promised myself.
— Jill Scott MBE (@JillScottJS8) August 23, 2022
I’m retiring from football.
And I’m leaving with a gold medal swinging from my neck.
This is my farewell with @TPTFootballhttps://t.co/6bL5RA1p7z
Scott’s soccer journey began remarkably similar to mine. She saw a group of boys playing football on the playground, asked to join in, and it was love at first sight. The difference was that I grew up in a country where I never felt like I had to fight for the right to play the game.
Jill Scott has a true rags-to-riches story
From the back alleys of Sunderland to the hallowed grounds of Wembley, Scott has transformed into a national treasure. I said my own farewell to football four years ago and have enjoyed the more relaxed lifestyle that came with it, but after hearing her story even I have the urge to lace up my boots and relive the triumphs and heartbreaks a life dedicated to soccer brings.
As I reflected on Scott lifting the Euro trophy and jogging from box to box with her most prized medal around her neck, it made me emotional. It made me proud to be a small part of a sport that has that kind of power to transform a person’s life. It made me jealous that a career could come to such a perfect conclusion. It made me teary-eyed to realize I watched Scott’s greatest dreams fulfilled in real-time.
A victory at Wembley and a hug from the prince…where do you even go from there? If the tenacity at which Scott has attacked every aspect of her career up until now is any indication, she’ll be just fine as she heads into her newest life chapter.