Marissa_Callaghan
Marissa Callaghan
Northern Irish footballer
Marissa Callaghan (born 2 September 1985) is a Northern Irish women's association football player from Belfast, Northern Ireland. She currently plays as a player-coach as a midfielder for Cliftonville Ladies and is the captain of the Northern Ireland women's national football team.[1]
|
Nilla Fischer (Sweden) and Marissa Callaghan in May 2014 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (1985-09-02) 2 September 1985 (age 38) | ||
| Place of birth | Belfast, Northern Ireland | ||
| Height | 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in) | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Cliftonville | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Newington Girls | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2005– | Cliftonville | ||
| International career‡ | |||
| 2010– | Northern Ireland | 72 | (9) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 22:55, 13 July 2022 (UTC) | |||
Callaghan started playing football when she was thirteen for Newington Girls (now known as Cliftonville Ladies).[2] After this, she went to university in the United States on a football scholarship.[3] She returned to Northern Ireland in 2005 and started playing for Cliftonville again. She graduated with an advanced certificate in sports coaching from the University of Ulster in 2017.[3] As a result, she also volunteered as a coach for Cliftonville Ladies.[4] Later she became their academy director.[4]
International career
Callaghan made her international debut for the Northern Ireland women's national under-19 football team in 2002.[5] She made her debut for Northern Ireland in 2010.[5] In 2016, Callaghan was awarded the Northern Ireland Women's Football Association Women's Personality of the Year award.[2] A year later she was the tournament ambassador for the 2017 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship being held in Northern Ireland.[2]
- Scores and results list Northern Ireland's goal tally first.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 13 April 2021 | Seaview, Belfast, Northern Ireland |  Ukraine | 1–0 | 2–0 | UEFA Women's Euro 2022 qualifying play-offs |
After leaving university, Callaghan started working full-time in 2010 as a women's football community coach.[1] In 2016, Callaghan was selected as a women's football ambassador for the Irish Football Association.[7] Following this, she worked with Northern Ireland national football team captain Steven Davis to promote participation in women's youth football.[8]
Callaghan is married to her partner Paula and they have one son together.[9]
- "Football star Marissa Callaghan aims to inspire others". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 4 November 2017.
- "2017 UEFA Women's European Championship official programme" (PDF). UEFA. Retrieved 4 November 2017.
- "Ulster University graduate has her eye on the ball". University of Ulster. 10 July 2017. Retrieved 4 November 2017.
- Johnny Morton (10 July 2017). "Marissa Callaghan looking to inspire the next generation after recent graduation". Belfast Live. Retrieved 4 November 2017.
- FIFA Women's World Cup. "Marissa Callaghan". UEFA. Retrieved 4 November 2017.
- "'Incredible journey': Northern Ireland captain Callaghan upbeat for Euro 2022". Guardian. 6 July 2022. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
- "Women Ambassadors announced". Irish Football Association. 26 April 2016. Retrieved 4 November 2017.
- Chris Sherrard (31 May 2017). "Northern Ireland football captains unite for Electric Ireland campaign". Belfast Live. Retrieved 4 November 2017.
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