BERLIN (AP) — As an Olympic gold medalist and Champions League winner, Almuth Schult was one of the top goalkeepers in women’s soccer. She believes her career ended early because clubs were reluctant to sign a player with children.

The 34-year-old former Germany goalkeeper announced her retirement in March, three months after her contract ended with the Kansas City Current in the National Women’s Soccer League in the U.S.

“I feel like in Europe it is still not yet normal for a female soccer player to have children. Whether the clubs admit it or not, that’s my subjective impression,” Schult told Germany’s Kicker magazine in an interview published Tuesday. “Many clubs worry that there could be adversity and difficulties with mothers even though that doesn’t have to be the case.”

Schult said she felt she could have played another “one, two years at the highest level” and that she believes being a mother was “the main reason” talks didn’t work out. Schult said top clubs only offered her the role of a third-choice backup.

Schult gave birth to twins in 2020 and a third child in 2023. “I was already out of contract after my second pregnancy,” said Schult, who played 66 times for the German national team. “No club believed I could still help, even though I had already proven it after my first pregnancy.”

Schult won the Champions League with Wolfsburg in 2014 and the Olympic gold medal with Germany at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro and has also built a career as an expert commentator on German TV.

She suggested that European clubs could have something to learn from those in the U.S. in helping players to continue their careers after having children.

“My career would presumably have taken a different course if I’d had the same support as I recently received in the U.S.,” she said.

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