Former India hockey captain Rani Rampal announced her retirement as a player on Thursday, ending a 16-year career that established her as arguably the greatest ever woman player. Rani, 29, made her debut as a 14-year-old prodigy and won scored 205 goals in her 254 matches.
She was instrumental in the rise of women's hockey in India, the highlight of her career being leading the women's team to its best-ever finish at the Olympics -- a fourth place at the Tokyo Games in 2021.
"After almost 15 years of wearing the Indian jersey with pride, it's time for me to step off the field as a player and begin a new chapter. Hockey has been my passion, my life, and the greatest honor I could ever have asked for. From small beginnings to representing India on the biggest stages, this journey has been nothing short of incredible," Rani said in a statement.
"Playing for India came with a lot of recognition but the moments that I will cherish the most are the ones I spent training with the team and facing tough teams together. One such moment was at the Tokyo Olympics where the team ran ragged for each other, this unity led us to victory over some tough teams. As I call it a day on my career, I am filled with pride and belief that the Indian Women's Hockey Team will go on to great things in the future," she added.
Thank you India ����❤️ pic.twitter.com/mbRJBv5fgR
- Rani Rampal (@imranirampal) October 24, 2024
Rani made her international debut in 2008 as a 14-year-old in the Olympic qualifiers in Kazan, Russia, and went on to become the captain and most prolific goal-scorer of the team. She came from a small town in Haryana where her father worked as a cart-puller and went on to become a mainstay of the team.
Under her captaincy, India broke a 13-year drought to clinch the Women's Asia Cup in 2017. She also became the first Indian woman to be nominated for the FIH Women's Young Player of the Year Award.
However, she had not played for India since early 2023, after then coach Janneke Schopman sidelined her from the national team in 2022. She had been vocal about her disappointment at being excluded from the squad, and at not being given any explanation for it by the coach. Schopman, on her part, said the decision was for the team as a whole and the never was any public knowledge on Rani's exclusion in the later part of her career.
Recently, Rani has been more involved in the coaching side of things. She was roped in as the national coach for sub-junior women players last year and is now a part of the Soorma Hockey Club's support staff for the upcoming new Hockey India League.
�� Happy Retirement, Rani Rampal! ��
From the streets of Shahabad to the pinnacle of Indian women's hockey, Rani's journey is one of grit and determination. Debuting at just 15, she led India to unforgettable victories, including the 2010 Asian Games, 2017 Asia Cup gold, and a... pic.twitter.com/x6JlpHwnGx
- Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) October 24, 2024