Farewell female Beckenbauer

International women's football lost one of its biggest names this week when Steffi Jones called an end to her time in the Germany defence after 111 appearances, three UEFA European Women's Championship triumphs, one FIFA Women's World Cup win and two Olympic bronze medals.

Body talk
It seemed inconceivable that Germany would go into their World Cup defence in China this September without the 1. FFC Frankufrt centre-back, but the 34-year-old, whose presence in the women's team was compared to that of Franz Beckenbauer in the men's side, decided that time had caught up with her after disappointment at last month's Algarve Cup. "I have thought carefully about this grave decision," Jones said. "My body has given me signals that I might not be able to meet my own expectations at international level, especially when it comes to playing in the World Cup."

Reactions
Tributes were immediate. Her old rival, Sweden and Umeå IK forward Hanna Ljungberg told uefa.com: "She was a great player for Germany," while Frankfurt general manager Siegfried Dietrich, whose club Jones will continue to represent until at least summer 2008, said: "It is safe to say that this decision shocked us very much at first, especially since Steffi is one of the most distinguished figures in women's football and has played a great part in the national team's successes over the years."

Beckenbauer comparison
Jones, like Beckenbauer, began as a sweeper but later became a more conventional central defender, profiting from her pace, strong challenges and excellent aerial ability. She still found time to impose herself in attack, scoring in the inaugural UEFA Women's Cup final in 2002 when Frankfurt beat Umeå 2-0 and again in the second leg of the 2006 defeat of 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam when Frankfurt regained the European title.

Club honours
Born in Frankfurt to a German mother and American soldier father, Jones started her career with SG Praunheim, the forerunners to 1.FFC Frankfurt, and also represented FSV Frankfurt, Praunheim, TuS Niederkirchen, Praunheim and SC 07 Bad Neuenahr before joining her present club in 2000. She won her first Bundesliga title in 1998 with FSV and has added four more with 1. FFC as well as three German Cups. In 2002/03 the dual German-American citizen played in the fully professional WUSA for Washington Freedom, winning the championship.

'I was a tomboy'
All this might not have happened if her mother had had her way. "I started when I was four," she told uefa.com in 2005. "I had an elder brother who played soccer. I was a tomboy - I just didn't want to wear dresses and loved being around boys. I started playing soccer and I felt so comfortable. And I beat all the boys! The funny thing is my mom never wanted me to play soccer, she wanted a little girl wearing dresses. And when I started playing soccer I became 30 in two minutes and couldn't wear dresses any more, so my mom's biggest dream was gone. But now she's my biggest fan and my biggest critic!"

Legacy
In that same interview, she hinted that time was running out. "We have many young players with skills I've never learned," she said. "I freak out when I play against those players - I could just smack them!" As for her legacy, she said: "I would like to be remembered as a team player." However, European football may not have seen the last of her yet - from next summer she will start to study for her coaching licence.