Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Full name | Jessica Leigh Carter [1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Date of birth | [2] | 27 October 1997||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Warwick, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Position(s) | Defender, Midfielder | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | NJ/NY Gotham FC | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Number | 27 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2004–2013 | Warwick Junior | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2013 | Birmingham City | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2013–2018 | Birmingham City | 67 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2018–2024 | Chelsea | 89 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2024– | NJ/NY Gotham FC | 12 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
International career‡ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2014 | England U19 | 3 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2016 | England U20 | 3 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2016–2019 | England U21 | 5 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2019 | England U23 | 1 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2017– | England | 39 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:15, 16 November 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 20:40, 3 December 2024 (UTC) |
Jess Carter (born 27 October 1997) is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender for National Women's Soccer League club NJ/NY Gotham FC and the England national team. She began her senior career at Birmingham City and has represented England from under-19 to under-23 youth level.
In 2017, Carter was awarded PFA Young Player of the Year and named in the PFA WSL Team of the Year. With Chelsea, she has won multiple WSL titles, FA Cups, and League Cups; with England, Carter is a European Championship and Finalissima winner, as well as a World Cup runner-up.
As a youth, Carter captained the Warwick Juniors to the County Cup championship; [3] a plaque honouring Carter was installed at the club in 2022 as part of the "Where Greatness Is Made" campaign. [4]
In June 2013, she joined the Birmingham City Academy. [5] In March 2014 at the age of 16, Carter made her debut for Birmingham City in a match against Arsenal in the first leg of the 2013–14 UEFA Women's Champions League quarter-final. [6] She was subsequently named player of the match. [7]
In June 2018, Carter joined Chelsea on a three-year contract from Birmingham City. [8] In the 2018–19 season she made only 16 starts in games, six of which came from the League Cup. [2]
Sports writer Jonathan Liew described it as a difficult patch in her early career, where she would be frequently late for training and miss fitness targets. According to Liew, she was put on a personalised diet and received "a certain micromanagement" by Chelsea staff, in order to get back her career on track. [6] Carter has credited manager Emma Hayes with her development both on and off the pitch. [9]
In January 2020, in the 2019–20 season, Carter scored her debut goal for the club in a 6–1 win over Bristol City. [10] On 2 May 2021, Carter helped Chelsea reach the Champions League final, [6] taking the free-kick that Pernille Harder would score from, to put the team ahead (on aggregate) in the 2nd leg of the 2020–21 Champions League semi final. [11] She featured in the final two weeks later as right-back, where she struggled against Barcelona's exceptional wide-play, resulting in a 4–0 defeat. [12] Carter nonetheless ended the 2020–21 season as a domestic treble winner with Chelsea. [11]
Carter had her career breakthrough during the 2021–22 season, [13] forming the key part of the defensive back three with teammates Millie Bright and Magdalena Eriksson. [14]
In October 2022, Carter extended her Chelsea contract to remain at the club as a defender until 2025. [15] On 23 November 2022, [16] Carter made her 100th appearance for the club against Real Madrid. [2]
On 29 July 2024, NJ/NY Gotham FC announced that they had signed Carter until 2026. [17]
Carter has represented England in the U19, U20, U21 and U23 youth teams. [18] [19] [20] [21]
In January 2014, during her debut for the England under-19 team, she scored against Norway. [22] In April, Carter played as a forward in the 2014 U-19 Championship qualification matches against Denmark and Finland, with England qualifying for the final tournament. [23] On 18 June 2014, she featured in the under-23 squad in the Nordic Tournament, losing 3–0 to Norway. [24] In July, Carter was named as part of the under-20 squad for the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, [25] as a forward player. [26]
After her senior international debut in 2017, [27] Carter was named in the under-21 squad as a defender for La Manga Tournament. [28] In April 2019, she featured as part of the starting eleven in England's 2–1 victory over France, followed by being sent off for a second bookable offence in a loss to Norway. [29]
In April 2017, after her earlier role as striker in England's youth teams, Carter received her first call up to the senior team, as a defender, for fixtures against Italy and Austria. [30] On 28 November 2017, she made her senior international debut in 2019 World Cup qualification against Kazakhstan, replacing Lucy Bronze in the 77th minute as England won 5–0. [27]
In June 2022, after not playing for the senior team from 2017–2021, [13] Carter was part the England squad which won the UEFA Women's Euro 2022, [31] [32] playing a total of 16 minutes in the tournament. [33] In November 2022, Carter was allotted 201 in the FA legacy numbers scheme. [34]
In May 2023, Carter was named to the squad for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. [35] She started in five of six matches in the tournament, as an integral part of England's back three, [13] credited with ensuring the team only conceded three goals up until the final. [36] In the final and playing as a right-back, where England lost 1–0 to Spain, Carter was ranked second best player for England by BBC Sport , after goalkeeper Mary Earps. [37]
Sweeping up the back end, my physical attributes like my pace and reading of the game, those are probably what I'd say are my super strength.
Carter has been described by Jonathan Liew as calm in possession, relatively error-free, and with "exceptional read of the game". [6] According to The Independent , she is "one of the best one-on-one defenders in the Women's Super League". [38]
Early in her career from 2013–2018, Carter begun as a defender and midfielder for Birmingham City, [2] and in 2014, she played as a forward with England under-19s and under-20s. [23] [26] With Chelsea, she started as a full-back in 2018 before becoming a centre-back. A right footed and versatile defender, [2] [38] Carter has played both left-back and right-back for England and Chelsea, [13] but prefers not to play on the left. She believes her skills are best used as part of a back-three formation. [9]
Carter was born in England to an American father and English mother, and holds both British and American citizenship. [38] [39] Since 2017, she has been in a relationship with her NJ/NY Gotham FC teammate Ann-Katrin Berger. [40] [41] In May 2024, they announced their engagement. [42]
Carter is the Co-Founder and an ambassador for an all-female football academy run by former Barcelona & Arsenal youth player, Judan Ali. [43] [44]
Club | Season | League | National Cup [a] | League Cup [b] | Continental [c] | Other [d] | Total | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Regular season | Playoffs | ||||||||||||||
Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
Birmingham City | 2014 | WSL 1 | 12 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 20 | 0 | ||
2015 | 14 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 | — | — | 23 | 0 | |||||
2016 | 16 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 21 | 0 | |||||
2017 | 7 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 7 | 0 | ||||||
2017–18 | 18 | 1 | — | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 23 | 1 | |||||
Total | 67 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 94 | 1 | |||
Chelsea | 2018–19 | WSL | 13 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 24 | 0 | ||
2019–20 | 8 | 1 | — | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | – | — | 15 | 1 | |||||
2020–21 | 9 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | 16 | 0 | ||||
2021–22 | 21 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 0 | — | 33 | 1 | ||||
2022–23 | 17 | 2 | — | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | — | 31 | 3 | ||||
2023–24 | 21 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 0 | — | 36 | 0 | ||||
Total | 89 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 1 | 18 | 1 | 31 | 0 | — | 155 | 5 | |||
NJ/NY Gotham FC | 2024 | NWSL | 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 16 | 0 | |
Career total | 166 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 24 | 1 | 34 | 1 | 37 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 265 | 6 |
National Team | Year | Apps | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
England | 2017 | 1 | 0 |
2021 | 2 | 1 | |
2022 | 9 | 0 | |
2023 | 16 | 0 | |
2024 | 11 | 1 | |
Total | 39 | 2 |
No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 30 November 2021 | Keepmoat Stadium, Doncaster, England | Latvia | 10–0 | 20–0 | 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification | [46] |
2 | 23 February 2024 | Estadio Nuevo Mirador, Algeciras, Spain | Austria | 5–1 | 7–2 | Friendly | [47] |
Chelsea
England
Individual
Casey Jean Stoney is an English professional football manager and former player who was most recently the head coach of San Diego Wave FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).
Siobhan Rebecca Chamberlain is an English sports pundit, commentator, and former professional footballer who last played as a goalkeeper for Manchester United.
Jordan Nobbs is an English professional footballer who plays for Women's Super League club Aston Villa. She previously played for Sunderland and Arsenal.
Ann-Katrin Berger is a German professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for NJ/NY Gotham FC in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the Germany national team. Due to her penalty saving skills, she has a well-known reputation as a penalty killer.
Alex Greenwood is an English professional footballer who plays for Women's Super League club Manchester City, whom she captains, and the England national team. Primarily a left-sided defender, she plays as both a centre-back and a left-back. Greenwood began her senior career at Everton, Notts County and Liverpool, before playing for Olympique Lyonnais and winning Division 1 and the Champions League with the club. She also captained Manchester United, winning the Championship in their inaugural season. Greenwood is known for her tackling, positional play and passing; as a left-footed player she is a set-piece specialist, who often takes penalties, free kicks and corners.
Francesca Kirby is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Women's Super League club Brighton & Hove Albion and the England national team. She began her career with hometown club Reading before moving to Chelsea in July 2015 where she remained until 2024. In August 2014, Kirby won her first senior cap for England. She represented her country at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada, the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France and the UEFA Women's Euro 2017 in the Netherlands. She is considered as one of the best players of her generation.
Hannah Jayne Blundell is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender for Manchester United in the Women's Super League and the England national team.
Laura Coombs is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Women's Super League club Manchester City and the England national team.
Millie Bright is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender for Women's Super League club Chelsea who she captains, and the England national team. She previously played for Doncaster Belles and Leeds Ladies, and represented England on the under-19 and under-23 national teams.
Sophie Baggaley is an English professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Brighton & Hove Albion in the Women's Super League.
Jessica Lucy Sigsworth is an English former professional footballer who played as a striker for Manchester United, Sheffield United, Notts County, Doncaster Rovers Belles and Leicester City, and has represented England at numerous youth levels.
Bethany England is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for Women’s Super League club Tottenham Hotspur, whom she captains, and the England national team. She previously played for Doncaster Rovers Belles, Liverpool and Chelsea, and represented England on the U19 and U23 national teams.
Aoife Mannion is a professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Manchester United in the Women's Super League and the Republic of Ireland women's national team. She was previously capped for England, the country of her birth, at youth level and received her first senior call-up in August 2019 but never appeared before debuting for Ireland in February 2023. Mannion began her senior club career at Aston Villa before appearing for Birmingham City and Manchester City. She has been named to the PFA WSL Team of the Year twice.
Alessia Mia Teresa Russo is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for Women's Super League club Arsenal and the England national team. She previously played club football for Chelsea, Brighton & Hove Albion and Manchester United, as well as college soccer for North Carolina Tar Heels. At United, Russo won awards from the club including Player of the Year and Goal of the Season, and was twice top scorer. She has also been awarded Player of the Month and Goal of the Month in the WSL.
Niamh Louise Charles is an English professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Women's Super League club Chelsea and the England national team. Beginning her youth and senior career with Liverpool as a forward, she signed for Chelsea in 2020, where she is a four-time WSL winner, three-time FA Cup winner, one-time League Cup winner, and Champions League runner-up. Charles has represented England at U17 to U20 youth levels and made her senior debut for England in 2021. With England, she is a twice Arnold Clark Cup winner and World Cup runner-up.
Carlotte Mae "Lotte" Wubben-Moy is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender for Arsenal in the Women's Super League and the English national team. She played college soccer for the North Carolina Tar Heels. She has represented England at multiple youth levels from under-15 up to under-21, and made her debut for the England women's team in March 2021.
Lauren Elizabeth James is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for Women's Super League (WSL) club Chelsea and the England women's national team. James started her senior career with Arsenal in 2017 before joining Manchester United in 2018 and winning the Championship. Since joining Chelsea in 2021, she has twice won the WSL and FA Cup with the club, and was awarded the PFA Women's Young Player of the Year for the 2022–2023 season.
Jessica Park is an English professional footballer who plays as a winger or attacking midfielder for Women's Super League club Manchester City and the England national team. With City, she is a two-time League Cup and a one-time FA Cup winner. She has represented England under-17s and under-19s, and currently plays for her country at both senior and at youth level with England U23.
Rebecca May is an English footballer who plays as a midfielder for Derby County of the FA Women's National League North.
Grace Clinton is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for English Women's Super League (WSL) club Manchester United and the England national team. Clinton started her senior career at Everton before moving to Manchester United. She had loan spells at Bristol City, where she won the 2022–23 Championship title, and Tottenham Hotspur.