Steph Catley

Stephanie-Elise "Steph" Catley (born 26 January 1994[3]) is an Australian professional soccer player who plays as a defender for Melbourne City FC and the Australian women's national team.[4][5]

Steph Catley
Catley playing for Melbourne City in 2015
Personal information
Full name Stephanie-Elise Catley
Date of birth (1994-01-26) 26 January 1994
Place of birth Melbourne, Australia
Height 1.71 m (5 ft 7 1⁄2 in)[1]
Playing position(s) Defender
Club information
Current team
 Melbourne City
Number 7
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2009–2014 Melbourne Victory 51 (7)
2014–2015 Portland Thorns FC 18 (0)
2014–2015 → Melbourne Victory (loan) 13 (2)
2015– → Melbourne City (loan) 62 (3)
2016–2017 Orlando Pride 35 (1)
2018–2019 Reign FC 33 (0)
Total 212 (13)
National team‡
2008–2009 Australia U17 12 (0)
2011–2014 Australia U20 5 (0)
2012– Australia 82 (3)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 28 May 2020[2]
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 28 May 2020

Professional career

Melbourne Victory, 2009-2014
Catley posing for a photograph with Melbourne Victory

A talented youngster who played for the South East Cougars in Football Federation Victoria's Victorian Champions League program, Catley made her senior debut with Melbourne Victory at a young age, playing Perth Glory at only fifteen years of age in October 2009. Originally playing predominantly in the midfield before converting to full-back, Catley was a key figure in a young team and scored her maiden goal in her second season at the Victory three days before her birthday against Perth Glory in January 2011. Following a switch to defence for the 2011/12 season, Catley had her most impressive season to date and was rewarded by winning Female Footballer of the Year.[6] She later became captain of the Victory, making 51 appearances, scoring 7 goals in her first 5 years playing for the club.[4]

Portland Thorns FC, 2014–2015

At the end of the 2013–14 W-League season, Catley signed with NWSL team Portland Thorns.[7] During her time at the club she made 17 appearances.

Melbourne Victory (loan), 2014–2015

During the NWSL offseason, Catley signed a loan agreement to return to her original club, the Melbourne Victory, for the 2014–15 W-League season.

Melbourne City (loan), 2015–2016

On 17 September 2015, newly created Melbourne City announced they had signed Catley on a loan agreement for the 2015–16 W-League season.[5] On 25 January 2016 Catley scored the 4th penalty for Melbourne City in a penalty shootout win against the Brisbane Roar in a close encounter. Catley helped City to their League and Championship inaugural winning season.

Orlando Pride, 2016–2017

On 10 December 2015, The Portland Thorns announced they had traded Catley to the Orlando Pride in exchange for goalkeeper Adrianna Franch and a 3rd round pick (#21) in the 2016 NWSL College Draft, which was used to select Arizona State Sun Devils defender McKenzie Berryhill.[8] Catley scored Orlando Pride's first ever goal in the NWSL on 21 April 2016.[9]

Melbourne City (loan), 2016–2018

Catley signed two other loan agreements with Melbourne City for the 2016–17 W-League and 2017–18 W-League seasons. Upon returning to Australia, Catley was named captain of the reigning league champions Melbourne City.[10] City went on to be Grand Final Champions in both these campaigns.

Reign FC, 2018–2019

Prior to the 2018 NWSL season, Catley was traded from the Orlando Pride to the Seattle Reign FC in exchange for Christine Nairn and Carson Pickett.[11] Following her first season with the Reign, Catley underwent knee surgery. Catley was injured in a friendly international match in February 2019, leading her to miss the beginning of the 2019 NWSL season.

Melbourne City (loan), 2018–2019

Catley underwent knee surgery prior to the 2018-19 W-League. She returned that season to make 7 appearances and score 1 goal with Melbourne City FC.

International career
Catley playing for Australia in 2012

Having spent years playing in the youth teams of Australia, Catley made her international senior debut against New Zealand in June 2012, the same match as her childhood friend Ashley Brown.[12] Catley made 32 appearances for the Matildas leading into her first World Cup campaign.[4] She was named to her second world cup, the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France as a vice-captain on 14 May 2019[13]

Catley was part of the Australia women's national soccer team squad for the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, and was a starter in the games against the United States, Nigeria, Sweden and Brazil. During the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup Catley made all 5 starts at left back for Australia and played all 450 minutes. She made 8 tackles and won them all. Catley also made 12 interceptions and won 13 duels. Steph had a 72.4 percent accuracy for passing.[4]

Catley went onto play for the Matildas during the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics. She appeared in all 4 games for the Matildas making three starts. In 2017 Catley appeared in the 2017 Algarve Cup and 2017 Tournament of Nations. In 2018, Catley helped the Matildas in their fourth place win at the 2018 Algarve Cup, their second place win at the 2018 AFC Women's Asian Cup and 2019 Algarve Cup and their first place win at the 2017 Tournament of Nations.

On 14 May 2019 Catley was named to the squad as vice-captain for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup.

Media

Catley appeared on the cover of the Australian edition of FIFA 16, alongside global cover-star Lionel Messi, as well as compatriot Tim Cahill, making her one of the first women to feature on the cover of an EA Sports video game.[14][15][16]

Career statistics

International goals

Scores and results list Australia's goal tally first.

#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
122 November 2012Bao'an Stadium, Shenzen, China Hong Kong4–04–02013 EAFF Women's East Asian Cup qualifying
219 May 2015Valentine Sports Park, Sydney Vietnam1–04–0Friendly
37 February 2020Campbelltown Sports Stadium, Sydney, Australia Chinese Taipei3–07–02020 AFC Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament

Honours
Catley playing for the Matildas at the 2017 Algarve Cup

Club
Melbourne Victory
Melbourne City FC

Country
Australia

Individual

References
  1. 2015 World Cup
  2. S. Catley at Soccerway. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  3. "Player profile – Stephanie Catley". Melbourne Victory FC. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 6 October 2009.
  4. "Stephanie Catley". Westfield Matildas. Football Federation Australia. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  5. "Melbourne City FC Sign Matilda Steph Catley". Melbourne City FC. 17 September 2015.
  6. TWG Staff (22 November 2012). "Shipard, Catley recognised". The Women's Game. Archived from the original on 16 September 2015. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
  7. "Stephanie Catley heading to the Portland Thorns". The Women's Game. 17 February 2014. Archived from the original on 4 March 2014.
  8. "Orlando Pride Acquires Australian Women's National Team Defender Stephanie-Elise Catley". Orlando City SC. 10 December 2015.
  9. Cary, Allison (21 April 2016). "Steph Catley's Historic Goal in Portland". Orlando City SC. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
  10. Dimopoulos, Andrew (11 October 2016). "Catley ready to embrace City leadership". Melbourne City FC. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
  11. "Orlando Pride trade Steph Catley, Jasmyne Spencer for three Seattle Reign players". Orlando Sentinel. 29 January 2018.
  12. "Victorian pair make Australian debut". Football Federation Victoria. June 2012. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
  13. The Guardian. 14 May 2019 https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/may/14/kyah-simon-fitness-concerns-open-door-to-mary-fowler-in-matildas-world-cup-squad. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  14. "Westfield Matildas Star Stephanie Catley named winner of the Australian FIFA 16 Cover Vote". easports.com/au. 9 July 2015. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
  15. Adno, Carly (10 July 2015). "FIFA 16: Matildas star Steph Catley to appear alongside Barcelona's Lionel Messi on FIFA 16 cover". Fox Sports. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
  16. Hytner, Mike (10 July 2015). "Fifa 16: Matildas' Steph Catley to be first ever woman on cover, alongside Messi". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
  17. "Our W-League stars take top awards". Football Federation Australia. 14 November 2013. Archived from the original on 8 December 2013.
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