'I played in Premier League and Alex Greenwood is my girlfriend but I had to retire at 29'

England women's star Alex Greenwood's footballer partner was close to international honours himself before being forced to hang up his boots.

Greenwood is a Lionesses legend after being part of the squad that memorably won Euro 2022. She then came agonisingly close to winning the big one after losing to Spain in the 2023 World Cup final in Australia.

Her biggest supporter is boyfriend Jack O'Connor, a former Premier League star with Sheffield United. The Liverpool-born pair met at sixth-form college, with both forging successful careers in football. Connell came through the academy at Blackburn Rovers before joining Brentford permanently in 2015, although he spent just a year in west London.

It was at Sheffield United where he made his name, helping the Blades soar from the third tier to the Premier League. His form was so impressive that then-England boss Gareth Southgate was seriously considering calling him up for England and went as far as consulting Blades manager Chris Wilder about him.

Sadly, his career was scuppered by injury and he announced his retirement two years ago at the age of 29. He wrote on social media at the time: "This is a very difficult announcement for me to make, although Sheffield United fans will already know that for the past three seasons, I have been fighting to save my professional football career.

"Today, I am announcing my retirement from football. I have put my heart and soul into this recovery since my knee problems began in June 2020, but this is a battle I cannot win."

He paid tribute to Greenwood, adding: "For now, some thanks. First, to partner Alex, who has given me support through my lowest moments. She is a supremely talented footballer and it has been a great consolation to be able to watch her career go from strength to strength. I am her biggest fan."

As the Lionesses progressed at the World Cup, O'Connell spoke of his pride, telling Sky Sports: "I've been there from the very start. I used to go and watch Alex when she was 16. It's unbelievable how far it's grown now.

"I'm her biggest critic as well. The standard that she sets herself, she has more to come. I get goosebumps when I think about it but I think she's one of the best centre-halves in the world and she still has gears to go through."

O'Connell didn't get a chance to say a proper goodbye as his final game was played behind closed doors during the pandemic. However, he recently made a one-game comeback in honour of another Blades hero forced into retirement by injury when he took part in Chris Basham's testimonial in front of 17,000 fans at Bramall Lane.

Ahead of the game, Basham paid tribute to O'Connell. He told the Sheffield Star: "I think it will be nice for him to go back and get that feeling, and show gratitude from his point of view as well.

"It's hard at the time, because you're leaving the game and your emotions are also a little higher. Then, once things have settled down, you realise what you've done and what you've done for the club."

Greenwood, who plays for Manchester City, is set for a busy few months with England, who face Portugal and Spain in the Nations League at the end of May and in early June before their defence of the European Championship crown in Switzerland in July. And O'Connell will be supporting her all the way.