Charlotte McLean

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Charlotte McLean
NC Courage vs SD Wave (Oct 2024) 097 (McLean).jpg
McLean with the North Carolina Courage in 2024
Personal information
Full name Charlotte Darcy McLean [1]
Date of birth (2000-03-01) 1 March 2000 (age 25) [1]
Place of birth Sydney, Australia
Height 1.69 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2018–2019 Sydney University 32 (2)
2020 Sydney Olympic 12 (1)
2020–2024 Sydney FC 74 (1)
2024–2025 North Carolina Courage 0 (0)
2025 → Tampa Bay Sun (loan) 4 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 22 December 2025

Charlotte Darcy McLean (born 1 March 2000) is an Australian professional footballer who plays as a defender. She began her career with A-League Women club Sydney FC in 2020, winning two league championships and three premierships. She was named in the PFA Team of the Season twice and was named Sydney FC's Player of the Year in 2024.

Contents

Career

Early career

McLean was born in the Sydney suburb of Epping. [2] She attended Cheltenham Girls High School where she won the Puma Trophy state tournament and was named player of the final in 2016. [3] She joined NPL NSW Women's club Sydney University in 2018, winning two league premierships, one league championship, and two NPL Challenge Cups. [4] In 2020, she moved to NPL NSW Women's club Sydney Olympic alongside Sydney University teammate Cortnee Vine. [5]

Sydney FC

McLean signed with W-League club Sydney FC after playing against them in training with Sydney Olympic. [6] On 30 December 2020, she made her W-League debut and played the entire match in a 3–0 win over the Western Sydney Wanderers. [7] She was mostly used at right-back during the 2020–21 season as Sydney FC won the premiership with the best record in the league. [7] The club also posted the league's best defence and reached their fourth consecutive grand final, losing 1–0 to Melbourne Victory. [8]

McLean moved to centre-back in the 2021–22 season and played every minute in the renamed A-League Women as Sydney FC retained the premiership in dominant fashion, allowing just 6 goals in their 14 league games. [9] The club again advanced to the grand final, but Cortnee Vine's goal was not enough as they lost 2–1 again to Melbourne Victory. [10]

On 5 March 2023, McLean fractured her cheekbone colliding with a teammate in the closing minutes of their 3–0 win against Western United. [11] [12] She missed the last five games of the 2022–23 season as Sydney FC clinched their third consecutive premiership, before returning for the semifinals on 16 April, losing 1–0 to Western United. [13] She then helped Sydney FC win 1–0 over Melbourne Victory in the preliminary final to reach their sixth consecutive grand final, winning 4–0 against Western United to claim the club's fourth A-League Women championship and first since 2019. [14] Sydney FC were the first team to complete the league double since Melbourne Victory in 2020. [15] McLean was honoured in the Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) A-League Women Team of the Season alongside centre-back partner Natalie Tobin. [16]

On 26 November 2023, McLean scored her first A-League Women goal with a long-range effort that was deflected through traffic in a 3–2 loss to Melbourne Victory. [17] She again played every minute in the 2023–24 season as Sydney FC finished second in the league table, recording the best defence in the league for the fourth consecutive season. [18] Sydney FC advanced to their seventh consecutive grand final and won 1–0 against premiers Melbourne City, defending their title and becoming the first A-League Women club to win five championships. [19] McLean was named in the PFA Team of the Season for the second time. [20] She was also named the club's Player of the Year recognising her performance in leading the defence without captain Natalie Tobin. [21] On 14 June 2024, Sydney FC confirmed that she and teammate Cortnee Vine would leave the club for an opportunity in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). [21]

North Carolina Courage

On 17 June 2024, the NWSL's North Carolina Courage announced they had signed McLean to a one-and-a-half-year contract. [22] Vine followed one day later. [23] On 6 August, McLean made her first and only appearance for the Courage as a stoppage-time substitute for Dani Weatherholt in a 2–0 loss to the Kansas City Current in the Summer Cup semifinals. [24]

On 14 July 2025, McLean joined USL Super League club Tampa Bay Sun on loan for the rest of the year. [25] She made her debut for the Sun on 6 September, being replaced at halftime in a 2–2 draw with the Carolina Ascent. [26] She missed two months with a foot injury and made only 4 appearances during the loan. [27]

Personal life

McLean has been in a relationship with Sydney FC and North Carolina Courage teammate Cortnee Vine since 2019. [28] [29]

Honours and awards

Sydney FC

Individual

References

  1. 1 2 "Charlotte Mclean". FBref.com . Retrieved 29 January 2026.
  2. ↑ Walker, Jeremy (20 November 2022). "Sunday Story: Charlotte Mclean". Sydney FC . Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  3. ↑ Besley, John (8 September 2016). "Cheltenham Girls and Epping Boys claim Puma competition double". Northern District Times . Retrieved 14 June 2024– via news.com.au.
  4. ↑ Lewis, Samantha (2 September 2019). "NSW NPLW 1 Grand Final Match Report". Beyond 90. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
    "Sydney University crowned Challenge Cup Champions". National Premier Leagues NSW Women's. 21 September 2019. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
  5. ↑ "Sydney Olympic on the hunt for Silverware". National Premier Leagues NSW Women's. 25 February 2020. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
  6. ↑ Clarke, George (1 December 2022). "Sydney's McLean keen to continue ALW rise". Australian Associated Press . Retrieved 14 June 2024– via The Canberra Times.
  7. 1 2 "Charlotte Mclean 2020–2021 Match Logs". FBref.com .
  8. ↑ "2020-2021 W-League Stats". FBref.com . Retrieved 9 January 2026.
  9. ↑ "Charlotte Mclean 2021-2022 Match Logs". FBref.com . Retrieved 9 January 2026.
  10. ↑ "2021-2022 A-League Women Stats". FBref.com . Retrieved 9 January 2026.
  11. ↑ "'It sounds like bubble wrap popping' – Charlotte Mclean". Sydney FC. 23 March 2023.
  12. ↑ Brissenden, Neve (10 March 2023). "Broken bones, concussions and a suspension decimate Sydney FC". FTBL. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  13. ↑ "Charlotte Mclean 2022–2023 Match Logs". FBref.com .
  14. ↑ Lynch, Joey (30 April 2023). "Sydney FC romp to A-League Women title with grand final win over Western United". The Guardian . Retrieved 9 January 2026.
  15. ↑ Grainey, Tim (6 May 2023). "A-League Women: Sydney FC wins regular season, championship" . The Equalizer. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  16. ↑ "Austraffic A-League Women's Team of the Season: Sky Blue theme to player-voted team". Professional Footballers Australia. 26 April 2023.
  17. ↑ D'Urbano, Nick (26 November 2023). "City leap into first after holding on to victory against fast-finishing Sydney FC". A-League Women . Retrieved 9 January 2026.
  18. ↑ "2023-2024 A-League Women Stats". FBref.com . Retrieved 9 January 2026.
  19. ↑ "History Making Sydney FC Secure Record 5th Championship". Sydney FC. 4 May 2024. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  20. ↑ "PFA reveals player-voted 2023-24 A-League Women's Team of the Season". Professional Footballers Australia. 2 May 2024.
  21. 1 2 Dodd, James (14 June 2024). "Iconic Sydney FC duo Cortnee Vine and Charlotte McLean depart Sky Blues for NWSL: Full details". A-League Women . Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  22. ↑ "Courage signs Australian defender Charlotte McLean". North Carolina Courage. 17 June 2024. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
  23. ↑ Lewis, Samantha (17 June 2024). "Cortnee Vine's departure from Sydney FC yet another warning sign for A-League Women's future". Australian Broadcasting Corporation . Retrieved 9 January 2025.
  24. ↑ "Recap: Courage fall in Summer Cup semifinal Tuesday". North Carolina Courage. 6 August 2024. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  25. ↑ "NC Courage Loan Charlotte McLean to Tampa Bay Sun FC". North Carolina Courage. 15 July 2025. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
  26. ↑ Charlotte McLean at Flashscore OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  27. ↑ "Match Notes 2025/2026" (PDF). Tampa Bay Sun FC. p. 2. Retrieved 20 December 2025.
  28. ↑ "Inside The Matildas Star Players' Lives Off The Pitch". Marie Claire . 17 January 2024. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  29. ↑ Mills, Lauren (29 January 2024). "Inside Matildas star Cortnee Vine's 5-year relationship". New Idea . Retrieved 17 June 2024.
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