Niamh Fahey feels her Ireland career went beyond her expectations after confirming a decision to call it a day yesterday.
Fahey played 115 times for her country, including three caps at the 2023 World Cup, the only time the Girls in Green have ever qualified for a major tournament.
Her last appearance for her country came in December as the side missed out on a spot at Euro 2025, losing 2-1 to Wales in the second leg of their play-off.
"It felt like a natural ending really," she said on the programme.
"It had been on my mind. If we were to qualify, naturally enough I'd want to stay on but when we didn't manage to do so it was going to be the start of a new cycle.
"[It was] a natural ending and I pretty much knew walking off the Aviva Stadium pitch that it was the last time I was going to wear the green shirt."
Fahey was part of the Galway Gaelic football squad that claimed All-Ireland honours back in 2004, playing the entire final in a victory over Dublin at Croke Park.
Reflecting on the path travelled since, relocating to the UK, making a career as a professional soccer player and signing for her girlhood club Liverpool - who she is still playing with - the 37-year-old says she has surprised herself with what she has achieved.
"I couldn't have imagined starting off in Galway, playing Gaelic football, that this was what was going to happen 17 or 20 years down the line," she continued.
"I feel incredibly lucky and proud of the journey that I've been on and the friendships I've made along the way.
"It's gone beyond expectation in every sense."
And in an outstanding international career, which lasted over 17 years from her debut against Portugal back in 2007, Fahey is clear on what game stands out above the others.
"The game I'd relive every time, over and over, would be the Scotland game to qualify [for the World Cup].
"That feeling of having done it, away from home, the scenario that we were in and to know that 'we've managed it now, we've actually got over the line and qualified for a major tournament.'
"The World Cup is on a similar level but the game itself, I don't think anything will surpass that game against Scotland to qualify."
Fahey now enters the pantheon for former internationals capped over 100 times for their country. Like the rest of us, she will watch on as a supporter from here on in.
But the Galwegian is happy with the part she played in the best period in the history of international soccer in this country.
"I do feel proud of the legacy that we've created", she concludes.
"Being part of the squad to get to our first ever international tournament and finals at the World Cup was such a massive achievement.
"It inspired so many young girls and boys. Being part of that is a lasting legacy and I'm now going to be supporting the team and the future generations to come and I can be proud of the journey that I've been on, in that sense.
"There's so much talent at the moment within the Irish set up. The future is beyond bright and I'm beyond excited to follow the girls' careers, and the team as it goes forward."
