Ellie Carpenter

Ellie Madison Carpenter (born 28 April 2000) is an Australian professional soccer player who plays as a right-back for Women's Super League club Chelsea and the Australia national team. She previously played for Western Sydney Wanderers, Canberra United and Melbourne City in Australia's W-League, Portland Thorns in the United States' National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), and Lyon in the French Première Ligue. She is regarded as one of the best female defenders in the world, with strong on-the-ball, crossing and defensive skills.

Carpenter made her debut for the Australia national team at the age of 15, the country's first international soccer player – male or female – to be born in the 2000s. She was also the youngest Australian competitor at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, and the youngest ever female footballer to compete at the Olympics. She made her W-League debut at age 15. In May 2018, she was the youngest player to appear in an NWSL game in league history at age 18. Carpenter was named the W-League's W-League Young Footballer of the Year three consecutive years from 2018 to 2020.

Carpenter is the first Australian to win the UEFA Women's Champions League (UWCL), having won the 2020 and 2022 finals with Lyon. She is the third Australian (male or female) to win the tournament, the first being Harry Kewell (who won the 2005 final of the men's edition with Liverpool) and the second being Zeljko Kalac with AC Milan in 2007.

Ellie Madison Carpenter was born on 28 April 2000, in Cowra, New South Wales, located approximately 300 km (190 mi) west of Sydney. She grew up on a farm there with her parents, who were both physical education teachers. Growing up, Carpenter regularly undertook extended travels to play soccer in Young, Canberra, and Sydney.

At age 12, her family moved to Sydney so she could attend Westfields Sports High School. She attended both Cowra and Mulyan Public Schools.

At age 17, she dropped out of school to pursue her athletic career full-time.

Carpenter joined Western Sydney Wanderers in September 2015. During the 2015–16 W-League season, she was a starting defender in all twelve games that she played. The Wanderers finished in seventh place during the regular season with a 3–6–3 record. Her performance during her inaugural season earned her a call-up to a training camp with the Matildas in November 2015. Despite being only 15, she was a versatile right back defender who often helped out in offensive plays overlapping and serving crosses to her teammates.

In August 2017, Carpenter signed with Canberra United for the 2017–18 W-League season. Carpenter was a starting defender in 10 of the 11 games she played and scored 2 goals. She scored her first goal during the team's 6–1 win over Adelaide United on 7 January 2018. Her next goal was the Wanderers' lone goal during a 5–1 loss to Newcastle Jets on 28 January. Canberra finished in fifth place during the regular season with a 5–6–1 record. Following the season, she was awarded the league's Young Footballer of the Year.