Yumnam Kamala Devi, a former Indian international, has declared her retirement from professional football. She is putting the finishing touches on a stellar career that has seen her win numerous national and international awards.
Her presence on the field will be sorely missed by football fans throughout the country. Kamala was a member of India’s squad for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2022, although she did not play in their sole match.
Announcing Yumnam’s Retirement
On February 2, 2022, she announced her decision on social media. Her passionate statement was as follows: “First of all, I would like to thank my parents and my loving Edomcha. Then I would like to thank Oja Biren who taught me how to play football at the grassroots level which made me the footballer I am and helped me fulfill all the wishes that I had. I would also like to thank my respected local brothers who guided me and supported me throughout my career.”
She further wrote: “Last but not least, I would like to thank all my coaches and teammates at various levels whether playing for India, Railways, Manipur State and various clubs.”
Her Achievements
The 29-year-old made 36 senior national team appearances, scoring 33 goals in the process. Kamala Devi, who hails from the football-loving state of Manipur, recently won the Indian Women’s League with Gokulam Kerala.
The midfielder has previously competed for the Railways in the Senior National Championships. She also played for Eastern Sporting Union and FC Kolhapur City, with the former winning the IWL after scoring 15 goals in ten games.
Yumnam Kamala Devi’s exceptional skill set was instrumental in India’s repeated victories at the SAFF Championships. In addition, she was a member of the South Asian Games gold-winning teams in 2010 and 2016. In 2017, she was awarded the Women’s Footballer of the Year Award by the All India Football Federation (AIFF).
Massive Impact in Women’s Football
Yumnam Kamala Devi is a passionate supporter of Indian women’s football. She has previously stated that she intends to be involved in the sport after she retires. Boycotting the Indian national team and accusing them of discrimination was a rough period in her career.
Despite the challenges, Kamala Devi never gave up and was a member of the Indian side that competed in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in 2022. While her supporters will remember her as a player, Kamala Devi could be back on the sidelines or working with young players to help grow women’s football in the not-too-distant future.
