Charlotte McLean

Charlotte McLean
McLean with the North Carolina Courage in 2024
Personal information
Date of birth (2000-03-01) March 1, 2000 (age 24)
Place of birth Sydney, Australia
Height 1.69 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s) Centre-back / right-back
Team information
Current team
 North Carolina Courage
Number 25
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020–2024 Sydney FC 74 (1)
2024– North Carolina Courage 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 5 May 2024

Charlotte McLean (born 1 March 2000) is an Australian professional footballer who plays as a defender for the North Carolina Courage of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She previously played for A-League Women side Sydney FC.

Early life

McLean was born in the Sydney suburb of Epping.[1] She attended Cheltenham Girls High School where she won the state high school knockout championship and was named player of the final in 2016.[2] She played for Sydney University in the National Premier Leagues Women's where she won the Challenge Cup championship in 2019.[1]

Career

Sydney FC, 2020–2024

McLean signed with Sydney FC after playing against the club in practice with Sydney Olympic FC of the NPL NSW.[3] She debuted in the starting lineup against Western Sydney Wanderers FC on 30 December 2020.[4] She contributed to Sydney FC recording the league's best defence and winning consecutive premierships in 2020–21 and 2021–22.[3] She did not miss a minute for the club until 5 March 2023 when she fractured her cheekbone in a collision with a teammate in the closing minutes against Western United.[5][6] She returned to the pitch the next month on 16 April.[7]

McLean contributed to Sydney FC winning their third consecutive premiership in 2022–23 and two consecutive grand finals in 2023 and 2024.[8][9] She was honoured on the A-League Women Team of the Season in 2022–23 and 2023–24, with the club also recognising her as their Player of the Year in the latter season.[9][10] Sydney FC announced her departure on 14 June 2024, with McLean and Cortnee Vine set to move to the United States to play in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).[9]

North Carolina Courage, 2024–

The North Carolina Courage announced their signing of McLean on a two-year contract on 17 June 2024, with her becoming eligible to play at the start of the transfer window on 1 August.[11] She made her club debut on 6 August as a stoppage-time substitute in defeat to the Kansas City Current in the Summer Cup semifinals.[12]

Personal life

Since 2019, McLean has dated Australian national team player Cortnee Vine, her teammate at Sydney FC and the North Carolina Courage.[13][14]

References

  1. ^ a b Walker, Jeremy (20 November 2022). "Sunday Story: Charlotte Mclean". Sydney FC. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  2. ^ Besley, John (8 September 2016). "Cheltenham Girls and Epping Boys claim Puma competition double". Northern District Times. Retrieved 14 June 2024 – via news.com.au.
  3. ^ a b Clarke, George (1 December 2022). "Sydney's McLean keen to continue ALW rise". Australian Associated Press. Retrieved 14 June 2024 – via The Canberra Times.
  4. ^ "Charlotte Mclean 2020–2021 Match Logs". FBref.com.
  5. ^ "'It sounds like bubble wrap popping' – Charlotte Mclean". Sydney FC. 23 March 2023.
  6. ^ Brissenden, Neve (10 March 2023). "Broken bones, concussions and a suspension decimate Sydney FC". FTBL. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  7. ^ "Charlotte Mclean 2022–2023 Match Logs". FBref.com.
  8. ^ Grainey, Tim (6 May 2023). "A-League Women: Sydney FC wins regular season, championship". The Equalizer. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  9. ^ a b c Dodd, James (14 June 2024). "Iconic Sydney FC duo Cortnee Vine and Charlotte McLean depart Sky Blues for NWSL: Full details". A-League Women. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  10. ^ "Austraffic A-League Women's Team of the Season: Sky Blue theme to player-voted team". Professional Footballers Australia. 26 April 2023.
    "PFA reveals player-voted 2023-24 A-League Women's Team of the Season". Professional Footballers Australia. 2 May 2024.
  11. ^ "Courage signs Australian defender Charlotte McLean". North Carolina Courage. 17 June 2024. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
  12. ^ "Recap: Courage fall in Summer Cup semifinal Tuesday". North Carolina Courage. 6 August 2024. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  13. ^ "Inside The Matildas Star Players' Lives Off The Pitch". Marie Claire. 17 January 2024. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  14. ^ Mills, Lauren (29 January 2024). "Inside Matildas star Cortnee Vine's 5-year relationship". New Idea. Retrieved 17 June 2024.