Ellie Carpenter

Considering the breadth of her footballing experience it's sometimes hard to believe that Ellie Carpenter has only just turned 20 years old. The record-setting Australian already has a plethora of achievements under her belt.

She has been a staple of the W-League since 2015, playing for three clubs and winning back-to-back NAB Young Footballer of the Year Awards.

She has also become an increasingly important presence at international level. After making her senior Matildas debut at the age of 15, Carpenter then became Australia’s youngest Olympian at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. She was still a teenager when she represented Australia at the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France.

On turning 18 she joined NWSL club Portland Thorns, becoming the youngest debutant in league history. The pacey full-back then became the youngest scorer in the history of the league when she pushed forward to score against Washington Spirit.

Ahead of the 2020 season, Portland Thorns signed Carpenter to a multi-year contract extension, signalling their determination to retain her services at a time when so many of her Matildas teammates are pursuing new opportunities in Europe.

When the new NWSL campaign kicks off later this month she will be looking to build on the form that saw her named Melbourne City’s Player of the Year during her loan stint over the Australian summer.

It is a scary proposition for opponents that Carpenter may not be entering the peak years of her career for another half a decade, given the success she has enjoyed so far.