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Triumph and tears as WSL season ends with fan favourites departing

rugby16 May 2026 17:09| © Reuters
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Manchester City had already secured the Women's Super League title before the final day of the season but there was still plenty of emotion as the likes of Arsenal's Katie McCabe and Chelsea striker Sam Kerr said farewell to their clubs.

Ireland captain McCabe played her part, getting an assist in a 3-1 win at Liverpool, and will head for pastures new next season after more than a decade in north London that saw the versatile left-sided player win the WSL and Champions League.

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"It was crazy. I was leading the girls out and I looked at the away end and it was like I was at an Ireland game," McCabe, 30, said of the Irish tricolours flown by fans in her honour.

"The fans have been incredible over the years that I've been here, we've built the club up together, we've had success together and I'm going to miss being part of it, for sure."

McCabe had tears in her eyes as she was substituted, and there were similar scenes in London as goal-poacher Kerr brought her six-and-a-half-year spell in blue to an end.

The 32-year-old Australia captain scored a brilliant header to secure a 1-0 win over Manchester United and join Fran Kirby as Chelsea's all-time top scorer with 115 goals.

"When I reflect on my Chelsea career and doing it for the last time, I just feel happy. Happy that it happened, and I feel so grateful to have played for this club for six years and won as many trophies as we could," Kerr said before her final game.

"The only thing that comes to my mind is remembering all the happy moments, the fun moments, and just feeling really proud," she added on the club website.

Champions City may also be losing a talismanic forward, with league top scorer Bunny Shaw linked with a move to Chelsea to replace Kerr when her contract runs out.

However, on Saturday the 29-year-old Shaw was playing her cards close to her chest as her side finally got to lift the WSL trophy for the first time in a decade.

"I focus on what I can control. Today is to celebrate and to enjoy. It’s been a long season, we worked extremely hard to get to this point - after that I’ll see what’s to come," said Shaw, who scored twice in a 4-1 win over West Ham United.

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