Former Arsenal goalkeeper retires from football due to injury struggles | OneFootball

Kaylan Marckese at Arsenal in 2022 (Liam Asman / SPP)

Former Arsenal goalkeeper Kaylan Marckese has retired from football.

On LinkedIn, her biography now reads: “I am currently a retired professional goalkeeper looking to transition into the sports business landscape after suffering too much damage to my knee after multiple ACL surgeries.”

Kaylan Marckese: her career history

Marckese joined Arsenal from HB Koge in July 2022, hacing helped the club to two league titles in Denmark. She made two appearances for the club, most notably in a 3-1 UEFA Women’s Champions League win over FC Zurich at the Emirates in October 2022.

She signed for Bristol City on loan for the 2023-24 season, and tore her left ACL against Aston Villa in November 2023.

She then returned to Arsenal to start her rehab, and left the club in May 2024.

Marckese returned to her hometown club, Tampa Bay Sun, in summer 2024, and made her debut for the club in February 2025 – having completed her recovery from the ACL injury with them.

However, ten minutes into her debut on 8th February, 2025, she tore the same ACL again.

She wrote on social media at the time: “February 8th was an emotional day filled with gratitude and pride.

“Unfortunately, that only lasted a good ten minutes.

“There are too many incredible people who helped me get to this point to name, but l have so much love for all of you!

“Now I get to do it all over again, and make it better.”

Marckese has already been part of The Second Half programme, co-created by Karen Carney and Kim Little, helping to prepare players for the prospect of retirement.

ACL injuries in women’s football

ACL injuries have long been a hot topic in women’s football. Arsenal famously sustained a glut of them at around the same time – with Marckese’s Instagram account showing photos of her undergoing rehab with Beth Mead and Vivianne Miedema, with Mead suffering her injury in November 2022 and Miedema in December 2022, meaning both missed the 2023 Women’s World Cup. They were joined on the injury list by Leah Williamson, who missed out on captaining England in Australia that summer.

More recently, England youngsters Michelle Agyemang and Katie Reid have both sustained the injury this season.

Other recent ACL injuries in the WSL include Maite Oroz of Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool’s Marie Hobinger and Sophie Roman Haug.