AS AN OLYMPIC gold medallist and Champions League winner, Almuth Schult was one of the top goalkeepers in women’s football. 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 US.

“I feel like in Europe it is still not yet normal for a female [football] 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 on Tuesday. “Many clubs worry that there could be adversity and difficulties with mothers even though that doesn’t have to be the case.”