Feature

Meet the team: Our 2022/23 Arsenal Women squad!

AWFC squad photo

The 2022/23 Women's Super League season is upon us and that means we have a new squad list for the year ahead!  

Whether this is your first season supporting our women's team or you're a dedicated superfan, this is your chance to brush up on your knowledge ahead of our WSL opener on Friday night. 

Searching for stats, key details, playing styles and more? We've got you covered. 

GOALKEEPERS

Zinsberger

1 MANUELA ZINSBERGER

GOALKEEPER

BORN: STOCKERAU, AUSTRIA

19/10/1995

Since joining the club from Bayern Munich in May 2019, Manuela has been on a constant trajectory of development, with 2021/22 proving to be her finest season in Arsenal shirt to date. Our No 1 picked up the WSL’s Golden Glove award after keeping a remarkable 13 clean sheets, and her distribution makes her a vital part of our build-up play too. Manu also carried her fine form into Euro 2022, saving 11 of the 14 shots she faced on target for Austria. A real character and personality in the dressing room, Manu is loved by her teammates at club and country.

18 KAYLAN MARCKESE

GOALKEEPER

BORN: St. Petersburg, Florida, USA

22/04/1998

Our first signing of the 2022 summer transfer window, Kaylan Marckese has been recruited to provide top competition for Manuela Zinsberger between the sticks. We faced Kaylan twice in the UEFA Women’s Champions League last season and she delivered two outstanding individual performances for HB Koge, sparking our interest as a club before eventually signing in late July. During her two seasons in Denmark, Kaylan made a total of 43 appearances and helped the team to successive Danish league titles in 2020/21 and 2021/22.

DEFENDERS

2 RAFAELLE SOUZA

CENTRE BACK

BORN: CIPO, BAHIA, BRAZIL

18/06/1991

Rafaelle Souza may have only been at the club since January 2022, but she’s already made a big impact. A ball-playing defender with natural Brazilian flair, Rafa can do it all. From crunching tackles and towering headers, to nutmegs and mazey runs, it didn’t take long for the captain of Brazil to capture the hearts of our fans at Meadow Park. Rafa spent five years in China prior to making the move to north London, but now she’s ready to take Europe by storm for the first time in her career. She’ll be more confident than ever before too, after captaining Brazil to success in the 2022 Copa America.

3 LOTTE WUBBEN-MOY

CENTRE BACK

BORN: LONDON, ENGLAND

11/01/1999

A product of our Centre of Excellence and a Gooner through and through, Lotte gives her all every time she steps onto the pitch and is fast growing into a key part of our first-team squad. The England international made her debut for the club in 2015 at just 16 years of age, before moving to the University of North Carolina to further her education, both on and off the pitch. Lotte returned to north London in September 2020 and has since provided a strong aerial presence to our backline, at both ends of the pitch, mixed in with an impressive passing range and ability to read the game. Our No 3 was also part of the England squad that lifted the Euro 2022 trophy.

5 JENNIFER BEATTIE

CENTRE BACK

BORN: GLASGOW, SCOTLAND

13/05/1991

A true legend of the Women’s Super League, Jen has racked up well over 100 appearances in the competition and provides experience and stability to our youthful backline. Jen was rewarded with a new contract in the summer of 2022 and in addition to her playing duties, she will take up a mentoring role with our academy this season, working with the next generation of Arsenal talent. She will also contribute her expertise to our commercial and partnerships teams on an ongoing basis.

Leah Williamson

6 LEAH WILLIAMSON

CENTRE BACK

BORN: MILTON KEYNES, ENGLAND

29/03/1997

One of the finest ball-playing defenders in world football, Leah is a real success story from our Centre of Excellence. With an outstanding passing range and the ability to evade pressure with the drop of a shoulder, our No 6 can influence the ball like the most cultured of midfielders, all while loving the dark arts of the game and having the knack of being in the right place at the right time. Leah’s game has progressed to a new level under Jonas Eidevall, and that was on show for all to see at Euro 2022, as she captained the team to success in the final against Germany after keeping four clean sheets in six games.

7 STEPH CATLEY

LEFT BACK

BORN: MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA

26/01/1994

A reliable full back with a stunning delivery, Steph stepped up in 2021/22 to deliver her best performances to date in Arsenal shirt. With two goals and six assists in 28 starts last term, she built up a strong relationship with Katie McCabe and Caitlin Foord down the left wing, all while maintaining her expertise in 1v1 situations. Steph’s fine form was rewarded with a new contract in the summer of 2022.

16 NOELLE MARITZ

RIGHT BACK

BORN: NEWPORT BEACH, USA

23/12/1995

An energetic and experienced full back, Noelle Maritz is one of the Women’s Super League’s most unsung heroes. Since arriving from Wolfsburg in 2020, the Switzerland international has gained a reputation as one of the best 1v1 defenders in the game, delivering solid defensive performances week in, week out. As a central defender, Noelle is the perfect full back to have by your side thanks to her ability to track runners both physically and mentally and leave no space in behind. Noelle is the ultimate ‘big game’ player, consistently marking some of the finest attackers in the world out of the game.

Laura Wienroither

26 LAURA WIENROITHER

RIGHT BACK

BORN: VOCKLABRUCK, AUSTRIA

13/01/1999

A promising young full back, Laura Wienroither joined the club in January 2022 from Hoffenheim and has impressed in each of her appearances to date. Watching and learning  from the experienced Noelle Maritz, Laura has top competition at right back that will only help her to grow and develop as a player in the long run. That progress was on show for all to see on the opening night of the Euros when Laura marked England’s Lauren Hemp out of the game, reacting first to every duel and loose ball. Laura already has more than 25 caps to her name having made her debut back in 2019.

29 TEYAH GOLDIE

CENTRE BACK

BORN: LONDON

27/06/2004

The youngest member of our first-team squad (and by some distance too), Teyah signed her first professional contract on her 18th birthday earlier this year. Another exciting talent from our Centre of Excellence, the London-born defender was sent out on loan to Watford last season and starred in central midfield due to her composure on the ball and impressive passing range. Teyah first joined our youth academy at the age of six in 2011, working her way up through the ranks before making her first-team debut off the bench in our 10-0 FA Cup win over Gillingham on 18 April 2021.

MIDFIELDERS

8 JORDAN NOBBS

CENTRAL MIDFIELDER

BORN: STOCKTON-ON-TEES

08/12/1992

Our longest-serving player in the first-team squad, Jordan surpassed 250 appearances for the club last season, taking her up to seventh in our all-time list. A true Arsenal legend who has represented the club with class and quality throughout, our No 8 has continually delivered in the big moments of big games and racked up countless ‘iconic’ moments over the years. A hard-working box-to-box midfielder, Jordan contributes in all phases of play and still boasts that same engine from the day she first joined the club back in September 2010.

Little and Nobbs

10 KIM LITTLE

CENTRAL MIDFIELDER

BORN: MINTLAW, SCOTLAND

29/06/1990

Ask any of our squad to name their favourite player, and chances are they’ll respond with Kim Little. A magician on the ball and the ultimate professional, ‘Kimmy’ reached the landmark of 250 appearances last season and widely is considered one of the greatest to ever wear the Arsenal shirt. With outstanding footwork and a low centre of gravity, Kim is capable of creating chances and scoring in the No 10 role, while also being able to dictate play from deep, as shown last season alongside Lia Walti. With 13 trophies to her name at the club to date, she’s a serial winner and provides valuable experienced both on and off the pitch.

12 FRIDA MAANUM

CENTRAL MIDFIELDER

BORN: NORWAY

16/07/1999

An all-rounded midfielder who can play in a variety of positions, Frida heavily impressed during her debut season in north London after arriving from Linkoping. Frida racked up 40 appearances across all competitions with only club captain Kim Little featuring in more games. The Norway international is capable of playing at the base of midfield in a more disciplined role, while also being able to push forward and progress play with her tidy footwork and positive attacking runs. Frida made her debut for Norway at just 17 years of age and has since picked up more than 50 caps, most notably scoring against Northern Ireland at Euro 2022.

Lia Walti against Brighton

13 LIA WALTI

DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER

BORN: EMMENTAL, SWITZERLAND

19/04/1993

An experienced midfielder with quality in abundance, Lia Walti is a natural leader both on and off the pitch. Composed in possession and calculated in her defensive work, the Switzerland captain is one of the first names on our team sheet and plays a vital role in our build-up play. In fact, she’s so talented with both feet that she completed more passes in the WSL last season with her ‘weaker’ left foot. Walti is set to make her 100th appearance for the club this campaign and has become a real fan favourite for the consistency in her performances.

23 MANA IWABUCHI

ATTACKING MIDFIELDER

BORN: TOKYO, JAPAN

18/03/1993

One of the most technically gifted players in our team, Mana Iwabuchi is simply a joy to watch when she’s in full flow. Standing at just 5ft 1in tall, Mana is the smallest player in our team, but makes up for it with her close control, creativity and eye for a pass. Mana likes to play football ‘the Arsenal way’ too, always keeping the ball on the ground and looking to play quick one-twos with her teammates. Mana won the World Cup with Japan in 2011 at just 18 years of age and has now received more than 80 caps. She won Asian Young Footballer of the Year in 2008 and 2009 and was named MVP in the 2018 Asian Cup.

FORWARDS

9 BETH MEAD

FORWARD

BORN: WHITBY, ENGLAND

09/05/1995

Our 2021/22 Player of the Season by landslide victory, Beth Mead has taken her game to the next level under the guidance of Jonas Eidevall. With 14 goals and 19 assists in just 40 club appearances last season, the stats say it all. In fact, only Vivianne Miedema provided as many goal contributions (33), but Beth’s influence on the pitch doesn’t stop there. In addition to boasting a magical right foot and being one of the best crossers of a ball in world football, she’s also one of the hardest working members of the team and tops the charts for pressing and defensive actions in the final third. Beth was also the star of England’s Euro 2022 triumph, deservedly winning Player of the Tournament and the Golden Boot award.

Vivianne Miedema

11 VIVIANNE MIEDEMA

STRIKER/ATTACKING MIDFIELDER

BORN: HOOGEVEEN, NETHERLANDS

15/07/1996

There isn’t enough space on our website to write about all of Vivianne Miedema’s achievements. From becoming the fastest Arsenal player in history to reach 100 goals (in just 110 games) last season, to holding the Netherlands’ all-time top scorer record at just 22 years of age, Vivianne is a goalscoring machine and a defender’s worst nightmare. Heading into this season, she also holds the record for the most goals in a single WSL game (6), the most goals in a single season (22) and the most goals in WSL history (74). But she’s so much more than just a goalscorer. Vivianne played as a No 10 last season, returning to her ‘natural’ position as a kid before being converted into a forward, and it’s clear to see why with her outstanding vision and passing range.

15 KATIE MCCABE

WINGER/LEFT BACK

BORN: DUBLIN, IRELAND

21/09/1995

When it comes to showing passion, commitment and fight on the field, few others do it quite like Katie McCabe. The versatile winger can play anywhere along the left flank to equal devastation, whether she’s sliding in with full-blooded tackles or scoring worldies from distance – a habit she’s maintained throughout her time at the club. Katie was named Republic of Ireland captain at just 21 years of age and she’s an important figure at club level too, leading by example with her work ethic and attitude. Katie was also voted our Player of the Season in 2020/21 for her sublime performances at left back.

17 LINA HURTIG 

WINGER

05/09/1995

BORN: AVESTA, SWEDEN

A tall and powerful forward, Lina joined us from Juventus in the summer where she played a key role in winning two league titles, two Italian Super Cups and one Coppa Italia during her time in Turin. The Sweden international is capable of playing anywhere across the front three, but favours operating on the left wing where she can cut inside and shoot with her stronger right foot. Lina is already familiar with two of her Arsenal teammates having played with Frida Maanum at Linkoping and Stina Blackstenius at international level, where she’s picked up more than 50 caps having made her debut back in 2014. She has valuable Champions League experience too after scoring the winning goal for Juventus to book their place in the quarter-finals of the competition last season. 

19 CAITLIN FOORD

FORWARD

BORN: SHELLHARBOUR, AUSTRALIA

11/11/1994

An exciting forward who can play anywhere across the front three, Caitlin Foord has grown from strength to strength since arriving from Sydney FC in 2020. The Australia international averages a goal every two starts - an impressive record when she’s often deployed off the left wing - and believes that playing for Arsenal allowed her to ‘fall back in love’ with the beautiful game. Caitlin also reached an impressive milestone for her national team last season, receiving her 100th cap more than 11 years after making her debut at just 16 years of age.

Stina Blackstenius celebrates for Sweden

25 STINA BLACKSTENIUS 

CENTRE FORWARD

05/02/1997

BORN: VADSTENA, SWEDEN

With pace, tenacity, and razor-sharp instincts in the penalty area, Stina has cemented herself as one of the best centre-forwards in the world at the age of only 26. In her first season in England, the Swedish striker made an immediate impact on the team and the scoresheet when she joined us from BK Häcken in January 2022, netting seven goals in 16 appearances across all competitions. A long-time international for her native Sweden, Stina has two Olympic Silver medals to her name and her seven Olympic goals means she is her country’s record goal scorer in the competition.