Sinead Farrelly: Whistleblowing, car accidents & a World Cup with a broken hand
- Published
Sinead Farrelly made her Republic of Ireland debut against her native USA in April
There are many remarkable stories at the Women's World Cup, but few can match the comeback of Sinead Farrelly.
The midfielder retired in 2016 at the age of 25 after a serious car accident in the USA. She thought her dream was over. She was ready to move on.
While taking that time out of football, she dealt with a number of personal issues and was a key whistleblower in highlighting abuse in women's football in the USA.
After almost eight years away, she returned to the sport earlier this year, went on to make her senior international debut, and will make history with the Republic of Ireland at the World Cup - with a broken arm.
Farrelly is no ordinary footballer, or person for that matter, and, after the highs and the lows of the past eight years, the 33-year-old is thankful for every moment that has led her to the World Cup.
"2015 was my last season. I was in a car accident and had a bad concussion and whiplash and stuff, and, at that point, I felt forced to retire," she said.
"I had to give up the dream of ever playing soccer again. My body went through a lot of things after that and my health suffered a lot."
While the impact of the car accident was public knowledge at the time, few had any idea of what was to come five years later.
Football across the world was stunned when Farrelly and team-mate Mana Shim came forward in 2021 with sexual misconduct and coercion allegations about their former Portland Thorns head coach Paul Riley.
English coach Riley, who denies the allegations, was sacked from his job with North Carolina Courage and investigations were launched by Fifa and the NWSL.
It was a watershed moment for women's football, and Farrelly's story was at the heart of it.
"That was a really difficult time, feeling so exposed in front of everyone about something which, at the time, was almost a shameful thing for me," Farrelly said.
"I had a lot of emotions, sadness, pain and guilt. It was really, really hard but it was such a blessing.
"Just the fact I got to speak out and I was heard, that was the start of the healing process for me.
"I was able to unload something that was weighing on me for so long."
Return after 2,767 days
Sinead Farrelly played under accused coach Paul Riley at Philadelphia Independence, New York Fury and the Portland Thorns before retiring at 25
Farrelly says that speaking out about her experiences ultimately allowed her to return to football on her "big journey".
"I was living a normal life. A year and a half ago I was living in California, I was a barista and was riding my bike to work every day. I had kind of let soccer go because I thought I had to.
"But it was still in my heart and I told myself that I had to at least try. At the beginning of July last year I knew I had to give it everything I had, or I would regret it. That was the beginning."
"That time alone and away from the game gave me the opportunity to come out with my story, about what happened with my coach, and that has given me the freedom to get soccer back in my life.
"I would never have been able to get soccer back in my life the way it is now if I didn't open up about that and release some of that heaviness and that burden.
"I'm so grateful for that difficulty and that obstacle. Like anything in life, the most challenging things in life have been such blessings, and I feel the same way about that.
"I feel it has made me a stronger person and has helped me shape how I see soccer now."
Her return came out of nowhere when, on 25 March, NJ/NY Gotham City announced she had signed for the new season. From her last match in September 2015 to her Gotham debut in April, a 2767 day journey back to the sport she loved was complete.
"It's been so hard, seriously. Like in pre-season I was crying every day saying 'I can't do this'.
"It's been really difficult physically, emotionally and mentally. They are all equally the same.
"I don't even know how to put it into words. Where I am now, I think I am the best I've felt and I'm over the worst parts of it, but it has been an up and down journey getting back. I'm very grateful."
From comeback to the World Cup
Vera Pauw is a big fan of the returning Farrelly and selected her for the World Cup with just one cap in a green jersey
It was just a few weeks after her return to the NWSL that she was handed a first call-up for the Republic of Ireland. Her debut came against the USA, the best team in the world, yet she slotted in seamlessly to the Irish midfield.
It says a lot about how much Farrelly has brought to the Irish squad that she has been selected for the World Cup after just one cap and a number of games back in the USA.
When she steps out onto the pitch in Australia, she'll be doing so in a cast after breaking her hand in the States, but, despite a brief scare, there was never any doubt about her participation on the world's biggest stage.
"It hasn't sunk in. I don't think it will until I'm there," she admitted.
"I think everything that has happened has given me a different perspective. It has helped me even detach from soccer.
"I've already retired once and went though the whole identity crisis of thinking that soccer was who I was. It's been a journey.
"Getting soccer back, I have found myself clinging to it even more. I lost it, and I realise that it wasn't benefitting me either.
"I think where I'm at now is just really enjoying it. This is my first and probably last World Cup.
"I want to be present in every moment and just know that this isn't going to happen again.
"I have to trust that everything is going to work out how it is meant to, so I need to be present and go along for the ride."