.jpg) Mjelde playing for Chelsea in 2019 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Maren Nævdal Mjelde | |||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | (1989-11-06)6 November 1989 (age 35) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Bergen, Norway | |||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Defender,midfielder | |||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | ||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | Everton | |||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995–2004 | Fri IL | |||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2012 | Arna-Bjørnar | 144 | (42) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2014 | Turbine Potsdam | 31 | (2) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2014 | Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC | 9 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2015–2016 | Avaldsnes IL | 44 | (9) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2016–2024 | Chelsea | 79 | (13) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2024 | Arna-Bjørnar | 12 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2025– | Everton | 5 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004-2006 | Norway U17 | 12 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2005-2008 | Norway U19 | 38 | (8) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2008 | Norway U20 | 8 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2009 | Norway U23 | 2 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2007– | Norway | 178 | (20) | |||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 30 March 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 3 December 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Maren Nævdal Mjelde (Norwegian:[ˈmɑːrənˈnæːvdɑlˈmjɛldə]; born 6 November 1989) is a Norwegian professionalfootballer who plays as adefender ormidfielder forWomen's Super League clubEverton and captains theNorway national team.
She has won several titles while playing withChelsea, including theSuper League and theFA Cup. In addition, she played for Norway both in theEuro in 2009 and2013, where Norway got bronze and silver, respectively.
Mjelde was born inBergen. She joined the Norwegian club,Arna-Bjørnar, as a 15-year-old in 2005. She made her debut in theToppserien in 2006 at the age of 16 and played a total of 155 league games until 2012, in which she scored 49 goals. The club finished the 2012 Toppserien league in third place, earning the bronze medal that year.[1]
Mjelde transferred to the German clubTurbine Potsdam before the 2013 season.[2] She played all the club's matches as captain in the latter part of the season, when they reached the runner-up position in the German Cup and League competitions.[3]
In May 2014 she announced that she would be moving toKopparbergs/Göteborg FC in the SwedishDamallsvenskan on July 1, 2014.[3] Mjelde signed a contract in Gothenburg until the end of 2015. She played nine games in the Damallsvenskan.[4]
She then returned to Norway to play forAvaldsnes IL. With the club she was runner-up twice and took part in qualifying for the2016/17 Champions League. With three wins, the club qualified for the round of 16, where they were defeated twice byOlympique Lyon.
On 22 November 2016, Mjelde signed forChelsea on a deal until 2018.[5]
On 16 November 2019, Mjelde scored the only goal in Chelsea's historic win versusManchester United, the first game ever played between these two women's teams in the Super League.[6]
She suffered a knee injury in March 2021 that kept her out for a year.[7]
On 30 March 2023, Chelsea played the second leg in the quarter finals of theChampions League againstLyon, last year’s winner. The score was 1–1 after full-time, so the match went to extra time andDäbritz scored for Lyon in the 110th minute, so Chelsea had to score. At the end of the added time for the second period, Chelsea got a penalty. Mjelde took the penalty and scored. The penalty was the last kick of the match, so it continued to penalty shoot-out, where Mjelde took the first penalty and scored again.Ann-Katrin Berger saved two penalties, which meant that Chelsea was through to the semi-final. During and after the match, Mjelde’s performance was praised by several, including theDAZN commentator,Emma Hayes, andIan Wright.[8] Hayes said that Mjelde is a Chelsea legend and that you can count on her in the biggest moments.[9]
She won the league with Chelsea in the2022–23 season.[10]
On 3 May 2024, Mjelde announced her departure from Chelsea at the end of the2023–24 season, after 7 years at the club.[11]
On 13 August 2024, Norwegian clubArna-Bjørnar announced that Mjelde would return to her first professional club and join their squad for the ongoing season.[12]
On 2 February 2025, Mjelde returned to the WSL after signing withEverton.[13]
Mjelde went through all youth national teams. In 2007 she took part in theEuropean Championship with theU19 team, where she lost 3-0 toEngland in the semi-finals. Norway qualified for theU20 World Cup in Chile, where they played in all three group games. As third in the group, Norway was unable to qualify for the quarter-finals.
On October 27, 2007, Mjelde made her senior international debut forNorway againstRussia. She was selected for2009 Algarve Cup and then theUEFA Euro 2009, where she made five appearances and reached the semi-finals with her team. In 2010 she finally herself in the senior national team and was used 14 times, again at theAlgarve Cup and then inWorld Cup qualification, where she scored her first goal for Norway againstUkraine.[14] She took part in the2011 Algarve Cup and the2011 World Cup.[15]
Mjelde was Norway's vice captain during 2011 and 2012 through the team's qualification campaign for theUEFA Euro 2013 and captained the side in many matches. In the tournament she played at right-back for the first time ever, and captained the team in their match in group B when Norway beatGermany 1–0 on 17 July. Norway lost thefinal 0–1 to Germany, and Mjelde was included inUEFA's Squad of the Tournament.
Mjelde was selected inEven Pellerud's squad for the2015 World Cup.[16] She scored the equalizer against Germany in a 1–1 draw in the group stage and played in Norway's second round defeat byEngland. Mjelde was also part of the squad for the 2015 World Cup . Her direct free kick against Germany was nominated for the most beautiful tournament goal.[17]
At the start ofqualifying for the2017 European Championships, she was appointed captain of the team by new national coach Roger Finjord.
Inqualification for the2019 World Cup, she was one of the eight Norwegians who took part in all eight qualifying games. In the end they became group winners ahead of European championsNetherlands. She had her first tournament success by winning the2019 Algarve Cup. On May 2 she was nominated for her thirdWorld Cup.[18] With 136 international matches, she was the player with the most international matches in the squad. At the World Cup there were five more, in which she led her team onto the field as captain, but was eliminated with them in the quarter-finals against England.
Mjelde was part of the squad that was called up to theUEFA Euro 2022.[19]
She played in decisive game for group victory in qualifying for the 2023 World Cup againstBelgium, which was won 1-0, meaning the Norwegians qualified for the World Cup.[20] On 19 June 2023, she was included in the 23-player Norwegian squad for the2023 World Cup.[21] She played in each of her team's games until they were eliminated in the Round of 16 byJapan.[22]
Mjelde's elder brother,Erik Mjelde, is a former footballer.[23]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Continental[c] | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Arna-Bjørnar | 2005 | Toppserien | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 4 | 0 | ||
| 2006 | Toppserien | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 18 | 0 | |||
| 2007 | Toppserien | 22 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 22 | 3 | |||
| 2008 | Toppserien | 22 | 8 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 22 | 8 | |||
| 2009 | Toppserien | 15 | 6 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 15 | 6 | |||
| 2010 | Toppserien | 21 | 6 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 21 | 6 | |||
| 2011 | Toppserien | 22 | 11 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 23 | 11 | |||
| 2012 | Toppserien | 22 | 8 | 3 | 3 | — | — | 25 | 11 | |||
| Total | 144 | 42 | 6 | 3 | — | — | 150 | 45 | ||||
| Turbine Potsdam | 2012–13 | Frauen-Bundesliga | 11 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 13 | 0 | ||
| 2013–14 | Frauen-Bundesliga | 20 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | 8 | 2 | 29 | 4 | ||
| Total | 31 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | 8 | 2 | 42 | 4 | |||
| Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC | 2014 | Damallsvenskan | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 9 | 0 | ||
| Avaldsnes IL | 2015 | Toppserien | 22 | 4 | 5 | 2 | — | — | 27 | 6 | ||
| 2016 | Toppserien | 22 | 5 | 3 | 5 | — | 5 | 1 | 30 | 11 | ||
| Total | 44 | 9 | 8 | 7 | — | 5 | 1 | 57 | 17 | |||
| Chelsea | 2017 | Women's Super League | 8 | 2 | ? | ? | — | — | 8 | 2 | ||
| 2017–18 | Women's Super League | 17 | 4 | ? | ? | 5 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 30 | 4 | |
| 2018–19 | Women's Super League | 7 | 0 | ? | ? | 2 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 14 | 2 | |
| 2019–20 | Women's Super League | 14 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 | — | 21 | 5 | ||
| 2020–21 | Women's Super League | 15 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 22 | 4 | |
| 2021–22 | Women's Super League | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2022–23 | Women's Super League | 7 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 18 | 4 | |
| 2023–24 | Women's Super League | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 1 | |
| Total | 79 | 13 | 8 | 1 | 18 | 1 | 26 | 7 | 131 | 22 | ||
| Arna-Bjørnar | 2024 | Toppserien | 12 | 1 | — | — | — | 12 | 1 | |||
| Everton | 2024–25 | Women's Super League | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 4 | 1 | ||
| Career total | 322 | 68 | 26 | 11 | 18 | 1 | 39 | 10 | 405 | 90 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norway | 2007 | 1 | 0 |
| 2009 | 11 | 0 | |
| 2010 | 14 | 1 | |
| 2011 | 12 | 0 | |
| 2012 | 10 | 4 | |
| 2013 | 16 | 1 | |
| 2014 | 15 | 4 | |
| 2015 | 16 | 2 | |
| 2016 | 13 | 4 | |
| 2017 | 15 | 2 | |
| 2018 | 9 | 1 | |
| 2019 | 14 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 10 | 1 | |
| 2023 | 14 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 4 | 0 | |
| Total | 178 | 20 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16 June 2012 | Sarpsborg Stadion,Sarpsborg,Norway |  Bulgaria | 3–0 | 11–0 | UEFA Women's Euro 2013 qualifying |
| 2 | 5–0 | |||||
| 3 | 20 June 2012 |  Northern Ireland | 2–0 | 2–0 | UEFA Women's Euro 2013 qualifying | |
| 4 | 19 September 2012 | Ullevaal Stadion,Oslo, Norway |  Iceland | 1–0 | 2–1 | UEFA Women's Euro 2013 qualifying |
| 5 | 26 October 2013 | Sarpsborg Stadion, Sarpsborg, Norway |  Albania | 3–0 | 7–0 | 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification |
| 6 | 14 June 2014 | Brann Stadion,Bergen, Norway |  Greece | 3–0 | 6–0 | 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification |
| 7 | 18 June 2014 | Estádio Marcolino de Castro,Santa Maria da Feira, Portugal |  Portugal | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification |
| 8 | 13 September 2014 | Niko Dovana Stadium,Durrës, Albania | Albania | 2–0 | 11–0 | 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification |
| 9 | 6–0 | |||||
| 10 | 11 June 2015 | TD Place Stadium,Ottawa, Canada |  Germany | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup |
| 12 | 23 October 2015 | Color Line Stadion,Ålesund, Norway |  Wales | 4–0 | 4–0 | UEFA Women's Euro 2017 qualifying |
| 13 | 5 March 2016 | Het Kasteel,Rotterdam, Netherlands |  Netherlands | 2–0 | 4–1 | 2016 UEFA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament |
| 14 | 2 June 2016 | Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway |  Austria | 1–1 | 2–2 | UEFA Women's Euro 2017 qualifying |
| 15 | 15 September 2016 | Aker Stadion,Molde, Norway |  Kazakhstan | 5–0 | 10–0 | UEFA Women's Euro 2017 qualifying |
| 16 | 7–0 | UEFA Women's Euro 2017 qualifying | ||||
| 17 | 11 July 2017 | Stade Louis-Dugauguez,Sedan, France |  France | 1–1 | 1–1 | Friendly |
| 18 | 19 September 2017 | Sarpsborg Stadion, Sarpsborg, Norway |  Slovakia | 5–0 | 6–1 | 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification |
| 19 | 2 March 2018 | VRS António Sports Complex,Vila Real de Santo António, Portugal |  China | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2018 Algarve Cup |
| 20 | 6 September 2022 | Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway | Albania | 3–0 | 5–0 | 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification |
Arna-Bjørnar
1. FFC Turbine Potsdam
Chelsea
U19
Norway's national team
Norway squads | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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