Veteran forward Grace Dangmei announced her retirement from international football on Saturday, 6 June 2026, drawing the curtain on a celebrated 13-year career with the Indian women's football team — moments after India defeated Bangladesh 3-1 in the SAFF Women's Championship 2026 final at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Margao. The victory handed India their record-extending sixth SAFF title and ended a seven-year wait for the regional crown.

A Champion's Farewell

As the final whistle sounded in Margao, an emotional Grace embraced her teammates amid jubilant celebrations in the Indian camp. The timing could not have been scripted better — signing off as a champion, in a title-winning match, on home soil. She leaves international football having represented India in 95 matches and scored 24 goals since her senior debut in 2013.

Over her career, Grace won three SAFF Women's Championship titles and two South Asian Games gold medals, establishing herself as one of the most decorated and experienced players in the history of Indian women's football.

Key Moments in a Decorated Career

Grace was a fixture in India's most significant campaigns across more than a decade. She featured at the Asian Games from 2014 to 2022, the AFC Women's Asian Cup, and the Olympic qualifiers. Notable individual highlights include two goals against Sri Lanka at the 2016 South Asian Games and a goal in the 2016 SAFF Women's Championship final, where India clinched their fourth consecutive title.

Her final international outing ended on a high note as goals from Pyari Xaxa, Sanfida Nongrum, and Lynda Kom Serto sealed the 3-1 win over Bangladesh. India finished the tournament unbeaten across four matches, scoring 18 goals and conceding just once.

Club Career and International Trailblazing

At club level, Grace represented KRYPHSA, Sethu FC, and Gokulam Kerala in the Indian Women's League (IWL). She won the Emerging Player Award at the 2018 IWL and later helped Sethu FC lift the league title. With Gokulam Kerala, she served as vice-captain and was part of the club's historic run in the AFC Women's Club Championship.

In 2022, Grace became one of the few Indian women footballers to sign a professional contract abroad, joining Uzbek club FC Nasaf Karshi — where she helped the side win both the league and cup titles. The move underscored her standing not just as a domestic stalwart but as a player of genuine regional and international calibre.

What Her Exit Means for Indian Women's Football

Grace's retirement marks the end of a generation that built the foundations of Indian women's football's competitive identity in South Asia. This comes amid a broader transition in the squad, with younger forwards now expected to step into the void left by one of the national team's most reliable attacking threats. Notably, India's unbeaten run in the 2026 SAFF Championship — with 18 goals scored — signals that the pipeline is healthy, even as the team bids farewell to a stalwart. All eyes will now be on how the All India Football Federation (AIFF) manages the transition ahead of the next cycle of AFC and Olympic qualifying campaigns.