Izzy Christiansen

Izzy Christiansen

Christiansen in 2017
Personal information
Full name	Isobel Mary Christiansen
Date of birth	(1991-09-20) 20 September 1991 (age 33)
Place of birth	Macclesfield, England
Position(s)	Midfielder, forward
Youth career
	Manchester United
	Everton
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2008–2009	Everton
2009–2014	Birmingham City	34	(3)
2014–2018	Manchester City	61	(18)
2018–2019	Lyon	20	(3)
2020–2023	Everton	19	(6)
International career
2010–2014	England U23	12	(1)
2015–2019	England	31	(6)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Isobel Mary Christiansen (born 20 September 1991) is an English former footballer who played as a midfielder or forward. She is known for her time with Manchester City Women between 2014 and 2018, and Everton (2019–2023). She has also played for Birmingham City and Lyon. She played as a junior international in 2009 and later in the senior team, including in the 2019 World Cup qualifiers.

Early life and education

Isobel Mary Christiansen^[1] was born in Macclesfield, Cheshire, on 20 September 1991.^[2] Her father, Niels, was born in Ledbury, Herefordshire, but lived with his Danish parents in the parish of Raklev [nl], near Kalundborg on the island of Zealand, until the age of four.^[3]

Christiansen grew up in the village of Rainow, where she played football with friends and her brother Will.^[4][5] She has a younger sister, Rosie, who is a doctor.^[6] She attended Rainow Primary School, and joined the under-10s side at Manchester United, before moving to Everton when she was 14.^[4] During that time she attended Tytherington School in Macclesfield, and her mother would pick her up from school before the end of the day and drive her to training three days a week, picking up Danielle Turner (later Everton captain) in Warrington on the way.^[7]

Christiansen studied sports science at Birmingham University^[6] from 2011.^[4] She worked alongside studying, including a stint in the Maggoty Johnson bistro in Bollington. She initially aspired to be a teacher.^[5]

Club career

Christiansen captained the women's football club at the University of Birmingham.^[8][9] She played mostly as a midfielder or forward.^[10][11] Christiansen has played in the UEFA Women's Champions League with Everton^[12] and also played for Birmingham City.^[13]

On 7 February 2014, Christiansen officially signed for new WSL club Manchester City Women.^[14] On 16 October 2014, she scored the only goal to help Manchester City defeat Arsenal Ladies and win the 2014 FA WSL Continental Cup.^[15]

On 23 July 2018, Christiansen signed a contract with defending European Champions Lyon until 2020.^[16] In her first season with the club, Lyon won the treble: winning Division 1 Féminine, Coupe de France and Champions League.^{[citation needed]}

On 27 December 2019, Christiansen announced her return to England, signing an 18-month deal with Everton.^[17] She made her debut, in the following season, in a 4–0 league win against Bristol City on 6 September 2020.^[18] A week later, Christiansen scored her first goal since returning in a 1–0 win against Tottenham Hotspur.^[19]

On 25 May 2023 she announced she would retire at the end of the 2022/23 season.^[20]

International career

As a junior international, she won the 2009 U-19 European Championship^[21] and a silver in the following year's edition,^[22] and played the 2008 U-17 and 2010 U-20 World Cups.^[23]

Christiansen helped Great Britain to win a gold medal in the 2013 Summer Universiade in Kazan, Russia.^[1] In January 2014, she was promoted from the under-23s into the senior England squad, to replace Jodie Taylor who had withdrawn.^[24]

Coach Mark Sampson gave Christiansen her senior international debut in a UEFA Women's Euro 2017 qualifying match against Estonia on 21 September 2015. She marked the occasion by scoring in England's 8–0 win.^[25][26]

In March 2019, Christiansen underwent surgery on an ankle injury sustained in England's 3–0 SheBelieves Cup win over Japan.^[27] England coach Phil Neville called her "vital" to his squad and hoped that her rehabilitation programme would restore her to fitness for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup.^[28]

Christiansen was allotted 189 when the FA announced their legacy numbers scheme to honour the 50th anniversary of England’s inaugural international.^[29][30]

International goals

England score listed first, score column indicates score after each Christiansen goal.^[31]

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	21 September 2015	A. Le Coq Arena, Tallinn, Estonia	Estonia	5–0	8–0	Euro 2017 qualifying
2	23 October 2015	Yongchuan Sports Center, Chongqing, China	Australia	1–0	1–0	2015 Yongchuan International Tournament
3	4 June 2016	Adams Park, Wycombe, England	Serbia	5–0	7–0	Euro 2017 qualifying
4	10 April 2017	Stadium MK, Milton Keynes, England	Austria	3–0	3–0	Friendly
5	28 November 2017	Colchester Community Stadium, Colchester, England	Kazakhstan	5–0	5–0	2019 World Cup qualifying
6	4 September 2018	Tsentralniy, Pavlodar, Kazakhstan	Kazakhstan	3–0	6–0

Other activities and post-football career

In June 2020, Christiansen joined Common Goal, becoming the first Everton player to do so.^[32] By joining the charity, players pledge at least one percent of their salaries to a community fund that supports young people's football in around 90 countries.^[6]

Christiansen has been working as a coach, as well as making several appearances as a football pundit and commentator since 2019. She announced her decision to retire from football on the podcast "Three Players and a Podcast" in May 2023.^[33]

In June 2023, she ran part of an endurance run, between Leeds and Manchester, to assist a motor neurone disease charity.^[33]

She provided co-commentary for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup for the Seven Network in Australia^[34] and for the world feed produced by Host Broadcast Services (HBS).

Honours

Team

Birmingham City

• FA Women's Cup: 2011–12^[35]

Manchester City

• FA WSL Continental Cup: 2014, 2016^[36][37]
• Women's Super League: 2016
• Women's FA Cup: 2016–17^[38]

Olympique Lyonnais

• Division 1 Féminine: 2018–19
• Coupe de France: 2019
• UEFA Women's Champions League: 2018–19
• Trophée des Championnes: 2019^[39]

England

• SheBelieves Cup: 2019

Individual

• 2015: Vitality Fitness Award^[40]
• 2015: Etihad Airways Player of the Season^[40]
• 2015: MCWFC Supporters Club Player of the Season Award^[40]
• 2015–2016:PFA Women's Players' Player of the Year^[41]

References

1. "Athlete Information". Universiade Kazan 2013 Russia. Archived from the original on 19 January 2014. Retrieved 19 January 2014.
2. Izzy Christiansen at Soccerway
3. Lavery, Glenn (30 June 2017). "Father's roots make Denmark match special for Isobel Christiansen". The Football Association. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
4. Britton, Karen (26 July 2011). "Footballer Izzy is aiming for the Olympics". macclesfield. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
5. Hayden, Bradley (1 November 2020). "Christiansen almost became a teacher; now she's on the cusp of FA Cup glory". talkSPORT. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
6. Taylor, Louise (11 June 2020). "Izzy Christiansen: 'It's really important that we are role models'". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
7. Whyatt, Katie (18 April 2021). "Everton's midfield reunited: Jill Scott and Izzy Christiansen relive the days of bagels, midnight drives and chasing the dream". The Athletic. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
8. Frostick, Nancy (11 June 2017). "Alumna Interview: England Midfielder Izzy Christiansen". Redbrick.me. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
9. @uobwomensfc (7 September 2015). "Congratulations to our ex UOBWFC club captain @IzzyChr17 for her first England call up #brumfam #proud" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
10. "Izzy Christiansen". Everton Football Club. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
11. "Izzy Christiansen". The Football Association. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
12. Profile in UEFA's website
13. "Isobel Christiansen Player Profile, Birmingham City". Archived from the original on 26 September 2011.
14. "City Women sign Isobel Christiansen". mancity.com. 7 February 2014. Archived from the original on 11 February 2017. Retrieved 7 February 2014.
15. "City are cup champions". Archived from the original on 1 July 2019. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
16. "Féminin : L'Internationale Anglaise Isobel Christiansen S'Engage Avec L'ol Jusqu'en 2020". 23 July 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
17. "Everton Sign Lionesses Midfielder Christiansen From Lyon". www.evertonfc.com. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
18. "Women's Super League: Bristol City Women 0-4 Everton Women". BBC Sport. 6 September 2020. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
19. "WATCH: Christiansen Header Defeats Spurs". Everton. 14 September 2020. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
20. Media, P. A. (25 May 2023). "Everton and England midfielder Izzy Christiansen announces retirement". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
21. "Composed England enjoy final waltz". UEFA. 25 July 2009. Archived from the original on 7 July 2012. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
22. "Clinical France punish England's errors". UEFA. 5 June 2010. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
23. Statistics in FIFA's website
24. "Christiansen called up". She Kicks. 6 January 2014. Archived from the original on 7 January 2014. Retrieved 19 January 2014.
25. "Danielle Carter hat-trick guides England to opening Euro 2017 qualifying win". The Guardian. 21 September 2015. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
26. "Euro 2017 qualifying: England thrash Estonia 8–0". BBC Sport. 21 September 2015. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
27. "England record statement win over Japan to clinch prestigious SheBelieves Cup". TheFA. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
28. "Izzy Christiansen: England midfielder could still be fit for Women's World Cup". BBC Sport. 9 March 2019. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
29. Gerty, David (31 May 2023). "England squad named for 2023 Women's World Cup". England Football. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
30. Lacey-Hatton, Jack (18 November 2022). "Lionesses introduce 'legacy numbers' for players past and present". mirror. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
31. Karsdorp, Dirk (2018). The England Women's FC 1972 – 2018: The Lionesses – A Statistical Record. Soccer Books Ltd. ISBN 978-1-86223-391-1.
32. Taylor, Louise (11 June 2020). "Izzy Christiansen: 'It's really important that we are role models'". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
33. "Izzy Christiansen: Everton and England midfielder to retire from football at end of season". Sky Sports. 25 May 2023. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
34. "Everything you need to know about the FIFA Women's World Cup commentators". Mediaweek. 20 July 2023. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
35. "FA Cup Final throwback: Birmingham topple Chelsea in 2012 thriller". The FA. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
36. "CITY'S ISOBEL CHRISTIANSEN ENDS ARSENAL CUP DOMINANCE". The FA. 16 October 2014. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
37. "Women's Continental Cup final: Manchester City 1-0 Birmingham City (aet)". BBC. 2 October 2016. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
38. "MANCHESTER CITY CLINCH SSE WOMEN'S FA CUP IN STYLE". The FA. 13 May 2017. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
39. "Trophée des Championnes - L'OL étoffe son palmarès d'un nouveau titre" (in French). 21 September 2019. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
40. "Christiansen bags a hat-trick". Manchester City Women's Football Club. 5 November 2015. Archived from the original on 11 February 2017. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
41. Thomas, Lyall (24 April 2016). "Manchester City Ladies' Izzy Christiansen wins PFA Women's Player of the Year 2015-16". Sky Sports. Retrieved 12 August 2023.

External links

• Izzy Christiansen – FIFA competition record (archived)
• Izzy Christiansen – UEFA competition record (archive) 
• Izzy Christiansen at Soccerway