 Coombs in 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Laura Coombs[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | (1991-01-29)29 January 1991 (age 34) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Gravesend, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Midfielder | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | Manchester City | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Charlton Athletic | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Arsenal | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2011 | Arsenal | 10 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010 | →Nottingham Forest (loan) | 8 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011 | →Los Angeles Strikers (loan) | 8 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2017 | Chelsea | 52 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2013 | →Barnet (loan) | 4 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013 | →Los Angeles Strikers (loan) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016 | →Liverpool (loan) | 13 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017–2019 | Liverpool | 45 | (4) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019– | Manchester City | 88 | (15) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2010 | England U19 | 12 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2014 | England U23 | 6 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015–2023 | England | 7 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 10:50, 5 November 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 15:17, 1 August 2023 (UTC) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Laura Coombs[2] (born 29 January 1991) is an English professionalfootballer who plays as amidfielder forWomen's Super League clubManchester City and theEngland national team. She was awarded the Legacy number 193 by The Football Association in 2022.
A hard-working defensive midfielder, Coombs is described by former teammateGilly Flaherty as "a real grafter and she'll put in the work that some people don't want to do."[3] She made her senior career debut forArsenal in 2007. She went on to play forChelsea andLiverpool before joining Manchester City in 2019.
Coombs made her debut for the seniorEngland women's national football team in October 2015.
Coombs began playing football aged seven or eight, when she joined a team run by her best friend's father.[4] She progressed toArsenal's youth academy and began playing in the first team at 16. In September 2009, Coombs made herUEFA Women's Champions League debut in Arsenal's 9–0 win overPAOK Thessaloniki.[5] In summer 2011, Coombs played for AmericanW-League teamLos Angeles Strikers, scoring one goal in eight appearances.[6]
During the mid-season break of the inaugural2011 FA WSL season, Coombstransferred toChelsea. The club reached theFA Women's Cup final for the first time in2012, but were eventually beaten byBirmingham City in apenalty shootout after twice taking the lead in a 2–2 draw.[7] In the 2013 mid-season break, Coombs had another stint with LA Strikers.[6] At the2013 International Women's Club Championship Coombs scored in Chelsea's 3–2 semi-final win overSydney FC inOkayama, Japan.[8]
In 2015 Chelsea won their first ever major trophy, in the2015 FA Women's Cup Final atWembley Stadium. They then beatSunderland 4–0 in October 2015 to secure theFA WSL title and a League and Cupdouble.[9] Teammates noted an improvement in Coombs' strength and power that season, a result of the team's transition from part-time to full-time training.[3]
Coombs announced a season-longloan move to FA WSL rivalsLiverpool on 22 December 2015, the same day as Chelsea signedKaren Carney fromBirmingham City.[10] During 2017 she eventually signed a two-year deal at Liverpool.[11]
In June 2019, after three years at Liverpool, Coombs signed forManchester City on a two-year contract,[12][13] being part of the squad that won the2020 FA Cup in her first season.[14] Though she had not expected "to get straight in the team", Coombs later expressed disappointment at how little she had played for the club in her first season with them, remarking that she is a confidence player. She felt that time away from Man City due to theCOVID-19 pandemic after her difficult first season helped her come back better for the team.[15]
Coombs' second season at Manchester City was marked by a midfield featuring prominent American and British internationals, with Coombs pleased to be able to work with and be challenged by them in training, as it made her raise her level.[15] In May 2021 she signed a two-year contract extension.[16] In the 2021–22 season, City won the2022 League Cup.[14]
In the first half of the2022–23 season, Coombs almost matched her total appearance count for Manchester City in her previous three seasons with them, having been elevated to a regular starter followingthe departure of the club's previous starting midfield three; she took on the role of an aggressive centre midfielder[17] and had a strong start to the season. During this time, she was a constant in a midfield that gradually incorporated different new signings. While other adaptations were made, Coombs retained her typical role.[15] She made her 100th appearance for the club on 17 December 2023.[18]
On 4 August 2025, it was announced that Coombs had signed a one-year contract extension with Manchester City, with the club praising her influence and popularity off the pitch as well as on it.[19][20]
In July 2009, Coombs featured asEngland under-19 won the2009 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship inBelarus, with a 2–0 final win overSweden. In 2010 England reached the final of the2010 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship inMacedonia, where they lost their title toFrance. Coombs had been ruled out by injury before the semi-final.[21]
National coachMark Sampson gave Coombs her first senior call up in October 2015 for the China Cup.[22] She won her first Englandcap on 23 October 2015, as asubstitute in England's 2–1 defeat byChina inYongchuan,[23] also earning a few minutes in another match of the same tournament. In 2020, she was called up for England training camp but did not play.[24]
Having not played for England since 2015, Coombs was named in the squad for the2023 Arnold Clark Cup after performing well with more regular playing time at Man City.The Offside Rule also said that she offers more age and experience for the attacking half of the England squad.[17] She became the oldest player in the squad and said that, though always wanting to represent her country, she had parked those aspirations after not being called up in so long.[24] She came on as a substitute for former City teammateGeorgia Stanway in their first match[25][17] and started in the next.[26] In May 2023, Coombs was named in England's squad for the2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.[27]
Coombs graduated from theUniversity of Hertfordshire with a degree inHR and business. She aims to eventually become anentrepreneur.[28]
| Club | Season | League | FA cup | League cup | Continental[a] | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Arsenal | 2007–08 | Women's Premier League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2008–09 | Women's Premier League | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | ||
| 2009–10 | Women's Premier League | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 3 | 1 | 11 | 1 | ||
| 2011 | Women's Super League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 10 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 18 | 1 | ||
| Nottingham Forest (loan) | 2009–10 | Women's Premier League | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 0 | ||
| Los Angeles Strikers (loan) | 2011 | USL W-League | 8 | 1 | — | — | — | 8 | 1 | |||
| Chelsea | 2011 | Women's Super League | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 7 | 0 | |
| 2012 | Women's Super League | 13 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 20 | 1 | ||
| 2013 | Women's Super League | 9 | 0 | ? | ? | 3 | 0 | — | 12 | 0 | ||
| 2014 | Women's Super League | 11 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | — | 17 | 2 | ||
| 2015 | Women's Super League | 13 | 0 | ? | ? | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 23 | 2 | |
| Total | 52 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 17 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 79 | 5 | ||
| Barnet (loan) | 2012–13 | Women's Premier League | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 5 | 1 | ||
| Los Angeles Strikers (loan) | 2013 | USL W-League | Stats unavailable | |||||||||
| Liverpool (loan) | 2016 | Women's Super League | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 15 | 1 | |
| Liverpool | 2017 | Women's Super League | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 1 | ||
| 2017–18 | Women's Super League | 17 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 19 | 3 | ||
| 2018–19 | Women's Super League | 20 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 27 | 0 | ||
| Total | 58 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | 69 | 5 | |||
| Manchester City | 2019–20 | Women's Super League | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 2 |
| 2020–21 | Women's Super League | 13 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 25 | 3 | |
| 2021–22 | Women's Super League | 16 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 27 | 4 | |
| 2022–23 | Women's Super League | 22 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 28 | 5 | |
| 2023–24 | Women's Super League | 17 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 1 | — | 26 | 5 | ||
| 2024–25 | Women's Super League | 11 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 20 | 2 | |
| 2025–26 | Women's Super League | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | 8 | 2 | ||
| Total | 88 | 15 | 18 | 3 | 24 | 5 | 16 | 0 | 146 | 23 | ||
| Career total | 228 | 23 | 33 | 4 | 47 | 8 | 25 | 1 | 333 | 36 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | 2015 | 2 | 0 |
| 2023 | 5 | 0 | |
| Total | 7 | 0 | |
Chelsea
Manchester City
England
Individual
