Elise Kellond-Knight announces retirement from professional football

Elise Kellond-Knight has announced her retirement from professional football overnight, calling time on her 17-year playing career that spanned across Australia, Denmark, Germany, Japan, USA and Sweden.

The midfielder made 115 appearances for the national team, with her last cap for Australia coming against Spain during the 2023 Cup of Nations. Kellond-Knight made her debut for the CommBank Matildas back in 2007 on the 4th of August during an 8-1 win over Hong Kong during Olympic Qualifiers.

Kellond-Knight featured at 3 Asian Cups (2010, 2014 & 2018) and helped Australia claim the title at the 2010 AFC Women's Asian Cup, 3 FIFA Women's World Cups (2011, 2015 & 2019 and at 2 Olympic Games (2016 & 2020).

The midfielder made her 100th appearance for Australia in a 1-1 draw against England in October 2018, with the Queenslander becoming the seventh Matilda to reach 100 ‘A’ Internationals. The game saw Kellond-Knight, or 'KK' as she was donned by teammates and fans, provide a pinpoint corner to Clare Polkinghorne to score a late equaliser. 

Over the years the midfielder became somewhat of a dead ball specialist for the side, scoring her first goal for Australia during the 2014 AFC Women's Asian Cup from a free-kick, looping her shot from out wide in to sneak it past the Korean Republic defended.

 

Her other goal in green & gold was perhaps her most memorable, becoming only the second player in history to ever score directly from a corner in a World Cup game when she found the back of the net against Norway during the FIFA Women's World Cup 2019, to snatch a late goal and send the game to extra time. 

✨ This ‘Olimpico’ goes down in history! ✨

Only two players have ever scored directly from a corner in a World Cup game! 

What better way to celebrate KK's birthday? We cannot wait to see her back out on the pitch doing more of this ? #WeAreMatildas pic.twitter.com/vsYyX2ZEg7

— CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) August 10, 2022

Unfortunately, an ACL injury sustained in 2020 with her Swedish club Kristianstads DFF saw her sidelined for close to two years, with her knee reconstruction followed by a second surgery after she suffered ongoing excruciating pain in the joint.

Kellond-Knight made her return for the CommBank Matildas in November 2022, 979 days after her last appearance in green & gold. The midfielder then featured in the 2023 Cup of Nations squad, making her last appearance for Australia against Spain.

The midfielder was named to the FIFA Women's World Cup All-Star Team in 2011 and 2015. 

We would like to congratulate KK for her contribution to women's football in Australia and congratulate her on her stellar career with the CommBank Matildas.