Former Football Ferns captain Abby Erceg has spoken out about the role she played in securing equal pay with the All Whites.
On Tuesday, New Zealand Football (NZF) signed a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the New Zealand Professional Footballers' Association (NZPFA) to secure equal pay, equal prize money, equal rights for image use and upgraded business class travel.
Erceg quit New Zealand Football in February last year, claiming the Football Ferns weren't valued, nor adequately supported by the national body.
"Due to the unfortunate and unfavourable circumstances within the organisation that is NZF, it is with regret and great sadness that today is the day that I announce my retirement from the international game," Erceg wrote on a social media account.
"Without being able to justify my involvement any longer, I will be stepping back in the hopes to create change for the current and future generations of NZ footballers."
And the 28-year-old from Whangarei has done exactly that after she was enticed back to be part of the CBA process with NZF, which led to her making her international return earlier in the year.
She said the negotiations were very lengthy, but speaking to Women's Soccer Zone, Erceg said she was delighted with her role in sealing the historic deal.
"The women are travelling more often than the men because we're going to world cups, we're going to Olympic Games," she said.
"For us not to be able to get to those tournaments in the best possible shape that we can be is hard sometimes so New Zealand Football has recognised the importance in that, not only from an equality point of view, from a performance point of view.
"I've asked for things in the past and kicked up a fuss, but now New Zealand Football has come to the party with the agreement, and I think it is positive and exciting."
Erceg is a key defender for the unbeaten North Carolina Courage in the United States, and will be back on Ferns duty against Japan in Wellington next month.
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