 Aluko withSaint Louis Athletica in 2009 | |||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (1987-02-21)21 February 1987 (age 38) | ||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Lagos, Nigeria | ||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 3 in (1.59 m) | ||||||||||||||||
| Position | Forward | ||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||
| Leafield Athletic | |||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||
| 2001–2004 | Birmingham City | ||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2007 | Charlton Athletic | ||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2009 | Chelsea | 28 | (15) | ||||||||||||||
| 2009–2010 | Saint Louis Athletica | 25 | (10) | ||||||||||||||
| 2010 | Atlanta Beat | 14 | (5) | ||||||||||||||
| 2011 | Sky Blue FC | 15 | (4) | ||||||||||||||
| 2012 | Birmingham City | 13 | (4) | ||||||||||||||
| 2012–2018 | Chelsea | 73 | (32) | ||||||||||||||
| 2018–2019 | Juventus | 27 | (15) | ||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2016 | England | 105 | (33) | ||||||||||||||
| 2012 | Great Britain | 5 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||
Eniola AlukoMBE (born 21 February 1987) is a British football executive, football broadcaster and former professionalplayer who played as awinger andstriker. Aluko has been a regular broadcaster for live football on ITV, BT Sport, Amazon Prime and Fox Sports in the USA, including men's Premier League matches and Women's Super League since 2014. She was the first Sporting Director forAngel City FC[1] of the American National women's soccer league and formerly held the position of Sporting Director atAston Villa W.F.C. from January 2020 to June 2021.[2]
Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Aluko moved to Birmingham, England, at 6 months old and made 102 appearances for theEngland national team from 2004 to 2016 and competed at the2007 FIFA Women's World Cup in China,2009 UEFA Women's Euro,2011 FIFA Women's World Cup in Germany,2013 UEFA Women's Euro, and2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada. At the2012 Summer Olympics in London, she representedGreat Britain.
Aluko previously played forBirmingham City,Charlton Athletic, andChelsea in England'sFA Women's Premier League. She played forSaint Louis Athletica,Atlanta Beat, andSky Blue FC in the AmericanWomen's Professional Soccer (WPS) from 2009 to 2011. After a short stint with Birmingham City in England's new top-division league,FA WSL, she signed with Chelsea, where she played from 2012 to 2018.
Before retiring from professional football in January 2020, Aluko last played as aforward forJuventus. Since 2014 she has also provided television commentary on football, includingFIFA men's andwomen's World Cups. In 2023, she joinedMercury/13 group as an investor and advisor.[3]
Born inLagos, Nigeria, toGbenga and Sileola Aluko, Aluko moved with her family toBirmingham in the West Midlands region of England at the age of six months.[4][5][6] She grew up playing football with her brotherSone Aluko and his friends. She also played other sports, including tennis.[7] Growing up, Aluko supportedManchester United.[8]
Aluko started her career at Leafield Athletic Ladies[9] and subsequently played forBirmingham City Ladies' youth team under managerMarcus Bignot with futureEngland teammate,Karen Carney.[10] She scored on her Birmingham team debut againstLeeds United, aged 14.[11]
On 7 April 2002, 15-year-old Aluko played for Birmingham in theFA Women's Premier League Cup Final atAdams Park, as the young Birmingham team lost 7–1 to professionalFulham.[12] City did win promotion asNorthern Division champions to thePremier League National Division in2001–02.[13][14] Her goalscoring during the following 2002–03 Premier League season led Bignot to declare her "theWayne Rooney of women's football".[15]
Aluko was named Young Player of the Year atThe FA Women's Football Awards in 2003.[16][17]
Aluko left Birmingham to joinCharlton Athletic in January 2004.[18] She helped Charlton defeatFulham 1–0 to win theFA Women's Premier League Cup atUnderhill Stadium in March 2004.[19][20]
During the2003–04 season, Aluko appeared as a second-half substitute when Charlton lost theFA Women's Cup final toArsenal, 3–0 atLoftus Road in May.[21] Charlton also lost thePremier League National Division title to Arsenal on the last day of the season,[22] having led the way for most of the season.[23]
Aluko lifted theFA Women's Community Shield with Charlton in August 2004 after helping the team win. Her 41st minute set-up forAnn-Marie Heatherson provided the winner in a 1–0 victory over Arsenal atBroadhall Way.[24]
Pace was considered one of her attributes and this was evident when she sprinted onto a through ball fromEmma Coss to score the winning goal in the2005 FA Women's Cup Final atUpton Park.[25] Charlton beatEverton 1–0 in the Final.[26] Aluko scored two goals in the first half of Charlton's 2–1 victory over Arsenal in the 2006 FA Women's Premier League Cup Final atAdams Park.[27]
Aluko also played in the 2005 FA Women's Community Shield (4–0 defeat at theNational Hockey Stadium),[28] the 2005 FA Women's Premier League Cup Final (3–0 defeat atGriffin Park),[29] and the2007 FA Women's Cup Final (4–1 defeat at theCity Ground),[30] All three defeats were inflicted by Arsenal. Her assist toKatie Holtham in the second minute of the match gave Charlton the lead in the 2007 FA Women's Cup Final.[31] She also won theLondon FA Women's Cup with Charlton twice, in 2005 and 2006.
Following the withdrawal of support for the Charlton women's team by the parent club,[32] Aluko joinedChelsea Ladies in July 2007.[33]
In October 2008, Aluko's playing rights were obtained bySt. Louis Athletica who named her as a post-draft discovery player. She was the team's leading goal scorer during the league'sinaugural season with six goals, and also led in assists with four, making her one of the main reasons Athletica was able to climb from a last place in the first two months of the season to a commanding second by the end. She missed theplayoffs and theAll-Star match due to national team duty.
When Saint Louis Athletica folded part way through the2010 season, Aluko signed withAtlanta Beat.[34] She was later traded toSky Blue FC in December 2010.[35]
When the WPS went into abeyance for the 2012 season, Aluko had already decided to return to England. She signed for Birmingham City, describing them as "more stable".[36]
In 2012, Aluko registered five goals and two assists in 17FA WSL League and Cup appearances, as Birmingham City finished runners up to Arsenal in both competitions.[37][38] City lost the2012 FA WSL Cup Final to Arsenal 1–0 atUnderhill Stadium on 10 October 2012.[39] Birmingham did defeatChelsea 3–2 on penalties, after it was 2–2 at the end of extra time, in the2012 FA Women's Cup Final on 26 May 2012 atAshton Gate to win the club's first major honour in its 44-year history. Aluko was introduced as a 63rd-minute substitute.[40][41]
After a single season at Birmingham, she re-signed for Chelsea in December 2012.[42] In her first season with the club, Aluko contributed six goals and three assists in 17FA WSL League and Cup matches.[43][44] Having had a poor season domestically,[14] Chelsea reached the final of the invitational2013 International Women's Club Championship, but lost 4–2 toINAC Kobe Leonessa. Aluko registered an assist in the Final and scored in the semi-final win againstSydney FC.[45]
In 2014, Aluko scored seven times and provided one assist in 20FA WSL League and Cup appearances.[46][47] Aluko's Chelsea began the last day of the 2014 FA WSL season top of the league, two points ahead of Birmingham City and three points ahead ofLiverpool, but a 2–1 defeat atManchester City cost Chelsea the Super League title ongoal difference.[48]
Aluko was one of six nominations for the 2014–15PFA Women's Players' Player of the Year,[49][50] but lost out to her Chelsea teammateJi So-yun.[51] She did win Chelsea Ladies' Player of the Year for 2014–15[52][53] and was selected in the2015 PFA WSL Team of the Year.[54][55]
In 2015, Aluko played in the firstFA Women's Cup Final held atWembley Stadium on 1 August 2015 in front of a record attendance of 30,710. Her Chelsea team defeatedNotts County 1–0 to win the club's first major trophy in its history. Individually, Aluko was at the heart of Chelsea's win as she put in a Player-of-the-Match performance and provided the assist for Ji So-yun's 39th-minute winner.[56][57] That same year she and Chelsea also went on to win their first WSL title.[58]
After Chelsea signedFran Kirby andRamona Bachmann, Aluko's role in the team diminished. It was announced on 16 May 2018 that Aluko would receive afree transfer from Chelsea when the 2017–18 season ended four days later. She marked her final appearance by scoring and had made occasional appearances, predominantly as a late substitute, in the side which remained unbeaten throughout the whole league season.[59][60]
Aluko signed forSerie A clubJuventus on 6 June 2018.[61] However, in 2019 she spoke about negative experiences in the city, calling it "decades behind" and saying she had been made to feel likePablo Escobar on occasions at Turin airport.[62]
In November 2019, Aluko announced that she would be leaving Juventus after 18 months at the club,[63] stating her time at the club had been one of "great success and lots of learning."[64] She returned to Britain in December having won Serie A, Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana, as well as being Juventus' top scorer for last season. On 15 January 2020, Aluko announced her retirement from professional football.[65][66]
Aluko was called into theEngland set-up as a 14-year-old. She chose to remain loyal to the English coaches who had given her the opportunity to play international football, but said: "The main thing for me is for people to understand that choosing to play for England doesn't mean that I don't support Nigeria. I'm as much Nigerian as I'm British. Of course Nigeria means a lot to me, it's part of me, but I've been brought up by English coaches."[67]
Having represented England at Under-17 level,[68] Aluko scored on her debut at Under-19 level and appeared in theUEFA Under-19 European Championship Finals in Germany in July 2003 while aged only 16 years.[69] She later played at Under-21 level, before making her senior debut, aged 17, againstthe Netherlands in September 2004.[70] Her first senior goal came against theCzech Republic atWalsall in May 2005,[71] and she added two more in the 13–0 away win againstHungary that October.[72]
Aluko played inUEFA Women's Euro 2005, despite a clash with herA-Level studies.[73] She sat a history exam on the morning of England's 2–1 defeat toDenmark.[74] In the final group game againstSweden Aluko almost scored a bizarre equaliser, but was left disappointed as hosts England lost 1–0 and exited the competition.[75]
At theFIFA Women's World Cup 2007, Aluko featured in group matches againstJapan andArgentina, as well as the 3–0 quarter-final defeat by theUnited States.[76] After the tournament, she was critical ofThe Football Association and the level of financial support provided to England's top female players.[77] Aluko featured much more prominently atUEFA Women's Euro 2009, scoring in the group match win overRussia[78] and adding two more in the quarter-final victory over hostsFinland.[79] She also provided an assist forKelly Smith's opening goal in the semi-final against theNetherlands.[80] In the final Aluko played the left-wing as England were mauled 6–2 byGermany inHelsinki.[81]
Aluko netted againstSwitzerland in September 2010 as England qualified for theFIFA Women's World Cup 2011.[82] During the final tournament, Aluko responded angrily to public criticism of her performance in the 1–1 draw withMexico, in which she failed to convert multiple goalscoring opportunities.[83] She was substituted at half–time in the following group match againstNew Zealand,[84] and dropped to the bench for the final group match withJapan, playing the last half an hour of England's 2–0 win.[85] Aluko was an unused substitute as England were eliminated byFrance at the quarter final stage.[86]
As England qualified for the2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, Aluko finished as the joint-top scorer inqualifying with 13 goals, which included her firsthat-trick in a 10–0 thumping ofMontenegro,[87] and braces againstTurkey[88] andUkraine.[89] At the Finals tournament, Aluko started both of England's first two group matches, a 1–0 defeat by France and a 2–1 win overMexico. Having missed the last group match and the knockout stages,[14] Aluko reappeared as a 61st-minute substitute in the third-place play-off withGermany.[90] England defeated Germany for the very first time, 1–0 after extra time to win bronze medals.[91]
Aluko was not called up to the national team after May 2016.[92] She was paid around £80,000 by theFootball Association. The Football Association later publicly apologised to Aluko at the select committee hearing of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (with some DCMS MPs calling for relevant FA officials to resign over their handling of the case)[93] after the same barrister found racist remarks were made to her and teammateDrew Spence, following a third investigation.[94][95] AtUEFA Women's Euro 2017, Aluko worked as a pundit forChannel 4.
When England's entire team—led byblack forwardNikita Parris—pointedly ran to celebrate with coach Sampson after scoring in their next match againstRussia, Aluko publicly criticised her former team-mates, accusing them of selfishness, lacking respect and requiring diversity training.[96] Parris later apologised to Aluko in an open letter in June 2020 admitting that the celebration with coach Sampson was a "thoughtless action" that showed a lack of empathy, understanding and ignorance given that Sampson was under investigation for making racially discriminatory remarks to Aluko and fellow playerDrew Spence of which he was found guilty and for which the FA later apologised.[97][98][99]
In an interview withThe Daily Telegraph, England right-backLucy Bronze questioned whether Aluko was now good enough to be in England's squad.[100] Aluko remained surprised and disappointed at a perceived lack of support for her position from England's current players.[101] The FA investigation had received evidence of Aluko's own "negative" behaviour, which included an alleged assault on an unnamed team-mate.[102] Sampson's successor as England coach,Phil Neville, did not select Aluko either.[103]
Aluko was given number 154 when the FA announced their legacy numbers scheme to honour the 50th anniversary of England’s inaugural international.[104][105]
In June 2012, Aluko was named in the 18-playerGreat Britain squad for the2012 London Olympics.[107] She made her Great Britain debut, in its first ever official fixture, in a friendly goalless draw withSweden at theRiverside Stadium,Middlesbrough on 20 July 2012, starting and playing the entire match.[108][109]
At the Olympic football tournament, Aluko started all three groups matches, which included wins overNew Zealand,[110][111]Cameroon[112][113] and in front of over 70,000 at Wembley, twice Olympic silver-medalistsBrazil.[114] Aluko won a penalty in the Brazil match, whichKelly Smith missed.[115] Britain advanced to the quarter-finals as group winners. Aluko also started as Britain lost 2–0 toCanada in the quarter-finals, courtesy of two early goals, and ended hopes of at least reaching a match for an opportunity at a medal.[116]Aluko had a strong appeal for a second-half penalty dismissed.[117]
DespiteEngland's third-place finish at the2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, which Aluko was a part of, earning Great Britain one of the three available European slots for the2016 Rio Olympics,[118] it was already decided Great Britain would not send a women's team to the event.[119] It meant Aluko did not add to her tally of five Great Britain caps, with participation at the2020 Tokyo Olympics the next earliest available opportunity.[120]
In January 2020, a week after retiring from professional football, Aluko was announced as the director of women's football atAston Villa.[121]
In May 2021, Aluko became the sporting director ofLos Angeles-basedAngel City FC ahead of their inaugural season in the AmericanNational Women's Soccer League (NWSL).[122] In August 2022, she transitioned to the director of recruitment role asAngela Hucles became the club's general manager.[123] In January 2023, Aluko departed Angel City.[124]
In April 2024, Aluko made history by becoming the first African female to make the board of Italy’s female top-flight football club FC Como Women as part ofMercury 13, an investment group focused on the development of women’s football clubs.[125]
In July 2024, Eni Aluko launched a £60,000 scholarship in conjunction withBrunel University of London (BUL), supporting the next generation of lawyers and sports stars in their studies and career development.[126] The scholarship will be spread across two years and contribute towards the tuition fees, travel expenses and competitions for five law students and 10 sports students. In addition to the funding, Aluko has partnered withAdidas for recipients to receive sponsored kit from the sportswear brand.[126]
While playing for England duringWomen's Euro 2005, Aluko took herA-Levels atCadbury College, Birmingham.[127] She subsequently went to studylaw atBrunel University, where she graduated with afirst class degree in 2008.[128] In July 2009 it was announced that Aluko would spend the 2009–10 US off-season studying for theNew Yorkbar exam before taking a similar exam in England, her aim being to have anentertainment law practice in both England and the United States.[4]
While completing an acceleratedLegal Practice Course at theUniversity of Law,[129] Aluko had traineeships at Lee & Thompson LLP and Onside Law.[130] She announced her intention to "step back" from her legal career in March 2015 to focus on playing professional football.[131] In 2016 The Football Association informed Aluko that her paid consultancy role with asports agency breached their rules and was under investigation by the Association's integrity unit.[132] Aluko alleged that the investigation by the Football Association was retaliatory because it was raised at the same time as her request for the racism of the England coach Mark Sampson to be investigated by the Football Association.[133] She began working as an associate consultant forSlaughter and May, before resigning when she moved to Italy with Juventus.[129]
Her younger brotherSone is a retired footballer who played most recently forIpswich Town and was anEngland youth international, but in May 2009 accepted a call-up to representNigeria.[134] Aluko helped her brother during the financial problems experienced byRangers in 2012.[135] Her father is a formerMP in Nigeria.[136]
Aluko voted for theConservative Party in the2019 general elections but has publicly stated that she is a liberal that has no staunch allegiance to any political party.[137] HerChristianity was strengthened under the influence ofborn again former footballerLinvoy Primus.[138] Aluko was also listed in the 2020Powerlist, recognition as being one of the 100 most influential Black Britons.[139]
In May 2020, Aluko published a series oftweets that appeared to criticise people placed on the UK government'sfurlough scheme introduced in response to thepandemic of COVID-19, subsequently deleting most of the messages, apologising and stating her support for the furlough scheme.[140]
In October 2022, Aluko was one of the first women inducted into the WSL Hall of Fame by the Football Association.[141]
Aluko was appointedMember of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the2023 Birthday Honours for services to association football and charity.[142]
In September 2014, Aluko appeared on the BBC's football programmeMatch of the Day, the first woman to appear as a pundit on the show.[143] She provided commentary for ITV's coverage of the2018 FIFA World Cup[144] and for Fox Sports' coverage of the2019 FIFA Women's World Cup.[145] In 2015, Aluko posed nude in a photoshoot forSport magazine in celebration of her athletic body.[146][147]
She was featured along with her national teammates in theEA Sports'FIFA video game series starting inFIFA 16, the first time women players were included in the game.[148][149]
In August 2016, she signed a multi-year endorsement deal withUnder Armour, the first UK woman athlete to do so.[150] In January 2020 Aluko became an Adidas ambassador on a multi-year deal.[151]
Aluko released her autobiographyThey don't teach this – Lessons in the game of life in August 2019.[152]
In 2021, Aluko appeared in Season 2 ofTed Lasso as a character called Georgia.[153]
In December 2022, Aluko was a pundit for a game played between Brazil and South Korea in the 2022 World Cup. Whilst talking about the quality of Brazil player Richarlison, Aluko referred to his goalscoring record, which was 19 goals in 40 games, the pundit claimed that "if you do the math, that's about 1 goal a game". This sparked a wide debate online, and Aluko herself made jokes about the situation whilst fulfilling her pundit role in another football match that took place later in the same tournament between Portugal and Switzerland. Other pundit's came to her defence regarding the situation - including Ian Wright.[154]
In 2023, Aluko in her role as a pundit sparked online debate for her suggestion that Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola would have communicated about the transfer bids for Declan Rice. Aluko claimed such communication between Arteta and Guardiola as close friends and colleagues who have repeatedly admitted their private communications[155] would have been inevitable and is part of transfer tactics and business communications between rival clubs.[156]
In 2025, Aluko was criticised when she made statements on BBC Woman's Hour in response to a question regarding male participation in women's football when she blamedIan Wright as an example of a domineering male in women's sport due to his advocacy for the development of women's football. Aluko was roundly condemned for her comments with Wright publicly stating that he could not accept Aluko's attempt at an apology. Aluko also implied that Wright should reduce his invovlement in the women's game due to the "finite amount" of opportunities available for women in the women's game despite Aluko herself being a prominent pundit in the men's game.[157]
Birmingham City[158]
Charlton Athletic
Saint Louis Athletica
Chelsea[158]
Juventus[158]
England
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