| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Laila Minnie Harbert [1] | ||
| Date of birth | 3 January 2007 | ||
| Place of birth | England | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Portland Thorns (on loan from Arsenal) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Arsenal | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2025– | Arsenal | 0 | (0) |
| 2023–2024 | → Watford (loan) | 14 | (0) |
| 2025 | → Southampton (loan) | 9 | (0) |
| 2025– | → Portland Thorns (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2021–2023 | England U17 | 31 | (5) |
| 2024– | England U19 | 6 | (1) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 25 August 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 30 May 2025 | |||
Laila Minnie Harbert (born 3 January 2007) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Portland Thorns FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), on loan from Arsenal, and the England under-19s.
Harbert grew up in Bexley, playing with a boys' team that her father coached. She moved to be closer to the Arsenal training grounds as she got to secondary school age, [2] having joined the Arsenal Academy at age nine, [2] and trained with the boys team between 12 and 15 years old. [3]
On 24 May 2024, Harbert made her senior, non-competitive, debut for Arsenal in their 1 - 0 win against A-League All-Stars Women as part of Arsenal's 2024 post-season tour. [4] She then went on to feature in Arsenal's 1 - 2 win against Washington Spirit, coming on as a sub for Alessia Russo in the 78th minute. [5]
Harbert signed her first professional contract with Arsenal on 3 January 2025 after nine years at the club. [6]
At the start of the 2023-2024 season, Harbert signed on dual-sign agreement with Women's National League side Watford alongside fellow Young Gunners Michelle Agyemang and Katie Reid. [7] She featured in 17 games for Watford across all competitions, scoring her first senior goal and hat-trick in a 6–1 win away at Southampton to keep Watford in the FA Cup. [8]
After signing her first professional contract with parent club Arsenal, Harbert signed on loan for the remainder of the 2024-25 season with Women's Championship side Southampton FC on 23 January 2025, [9] linking up with former Young Gunner Araya Dennis and current Gunner Vivienne Lia. Harbert made 9 appearances across all competitions for Saints.
On 25 August 2025, Harbert joined NWSL club Portland Thorns FC on a loan through the remainder of the Thorns' 2025 campaign. [10]
Harbert has represented the England Under-17 and Under-19 national teams.
Harbert was part of the England squad [11] who got to the semi-final of the 2023 UEFA Women's Under-17 Championship, where they ended their run with a 3 - 1 defeat to Spain in the semi-finals. [12]
The midfielder later captained the Under-17 side [13] to the final of the 2024 UEFA Women's Under-17 Championship, where they were again beaten by Spain in a 0 - 4 loss in Malmö, Sweden. [14]
Towards the end of 2024, Harbert was also given the Captain's armband for the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup as England looked to overcome their previous defeats by rivals Spain. This however, was not to be. The England side were defeated again in the semi-finals by the Spanish, and then beaten by the United States in the third-place playoff to come fourth in the World. [15]
Harbert made her Under-19 debut in the Albir Garden Tournament in yet another defeat to Spain, starting all three of England's games in the tournament. [16]
A highly technical player with excellent vision and a commanding presence on the pitch, Harbert is known for precise passing, both short and long, with an impressive ability to unlock defences. [17]
| Club | Season | League | League Cup | FA Cup | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Watford (loan) | 2023-2024 | FA Women's National League | 14 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 17 | 3 |
| Southampton FC (loan) | 2024-2025 | Women's Championship | 9 | 0 | - | - | 9 | 0 | ||
| Career Total | 23 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 26 | 3 | ||