Jess Carter

Jessica Leigh Carter (born 27 October 1997) is an English professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) club Gotham FC and the England national team. She began her senior career at Birmingham City and has represented England from under-19 to under-23 youth level. In 2017, Carter was awarded PFA Young Player of the Year and named in the PFA WSL Team of the Year. With Chelsea, she has won multiple WSL titles, FA Cups, and League Cups; with England, Carter is a two-time European Championship winner, a Finalissima winner, as well as a World Cup runner-up.

Infobox

2013

Birmingham City

2014

England U19

2016

England U20

2019

England U23

Full name

Jessica Leigh Carter

Date of birth

(1997-10-27) 27 October 1997 (age 28)

Place of birth

Warwick, England

Height

5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)

Position

Centre-back

Current team

Gotham FC

Number

2004–2013

Warwick Junior

Years

Team

2013–2018

Birmingham City

2018–2024

Chelsea

2024–

Gotham FC

2016–2019

England U21

2017–

England

Tables

Appearances and goals by club, player season and competition · Career statistics › Club

Division

Club

Division

Season

Regular season

League

Playoffs

Apps

Club

Apps

Season

Goals

League

Apps

League

Goals

League

Apps

League

Goals

League

Apps

National Cup

Goals

National Cup

Apps

League Cup

Goals

League Cup

Apps

Continental

Goals

Continental

Apps

Other

Goals

Birmingham City

Club

Birmingham City

Season

2014

League

WSL 1

League

—

League

National Cup

League Cup

Continental

—

Other

2015

Club

2015

Season

League

—

League

National Cup

—

League Cup

—

League Cup

Continental

2016

Club

2016

Season

League

—

League

National Cup

—

League Cup

—

League Cup

Continental

2017

Club

2017

Season

League

—

League

—

National Cup

—

National Cup

—

League Cup

2017–18

Club

2017–18

Season

League

—

League

National Cup

—

League Cup

—

League Cup

Continental

Total

Club

Total

Season

League

National Cup

League Cup

Continental

—

Continental

Other

Chelsea

Club

Chelsea

Season

2018–19

League

WSL

League

—

League

National Cup

League Cup

Continental

—

Other

2019–20

Club

2019–20

Season

League

—

League

National Cup

–

League Cup

—

League Cup

Continental

2020–21

Club

2020–21

Season

League

—

League

National Cup

League Cup

—

Continental

2021–22

Club

2021–22

Season

League

—

League

National Cup

League Cup

—

Continental

2022–23

Club

2022–23

Season

League

—

League

National Cup

League Cup

—

Continental

2023–24

Club

2023–24

Season

League

—

League

National Cup

League Cup

—

Continental

Total

Club

Total

Season

League

National Cup

League Cup

Continental

—

Continental

155

Other

Gotham FC

Club

Gotham FC

Season

2024

League

NWSL

League

National Cup

—

National Cup

—

League Cup

Continental

Other

2025

Club

2025

Season

League

—

League

—

National Cup

League Cup

—

League Cup

Continental

Total

Club

Total

Season

League

National Cup

League Cup

Continental

Other

Career total

Club

Career total

Season

189

League

National Cup

League Cup

Continental

Other

296

Other

Club	Season	League					National Cup		League Cup		Continental		Other		Total
		Division	Regular season		Playoffs		National Cup		League Cup		Continental		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Birmingham City	2014	WSL 1	12	0	—		2	0	2	0	4	0	—		20	0
	2015		14	0	—		2	0	7	0	—		—		23	0
	2016		16	0	—		1	0	4	0	—		—		21	0
	2017		7	0	—		0	0	—		—		—		7	0
	2017–18		18	1	—		2	0	3	0	—		—		23	1
	Total		67	1	0	0	7	0	16	0	4	0	—		94	1
Chelsea	2018–19	WSL	13	0	—		2	0	6	0	3	0	—		24	0
	2019–20		8	1	—		2	0	5	0	–		—		15	1
	2020–21		9	0	—		0	0	1	0	6	0	—		16	0
	2021–22		21	0	—		4	0	3	1	5	0	—		33	1
	2022–23		17	2	—		5	1	1	0	8	0	—		31	3
	2023–24		21	0	—		4	0	2	0	9	0	—		36	0
	Total		89	3	0	0	17	1	18	1	31	0	—		155	5
Gotham FC	2024	NWSL	10	0	2	0	—		—		2	0	2	0	16	0
	2025	NWSL	23	0	3	0	—		—		5	0	—		31	0
	Total		33	0	5	0	0	0	0	0	7	0	2	0	47	0
Career total			189	4	5	0	24	1	34	1	42	0	2	0	296	6

Appearances and goals by national team and year · Career statistics › International

England

National Team

England

Year

2017

Apps

Goals

2021

National Team

2021

Year

Apps

2022

National Team

2022

Year

Apps

2023

National Team

2023

Year

Apps

2024

National Team

2024

Year

Apps

2025

National Team

2025

Year

Apps

Total

National Team

Total

Year

Apps

National Team	Year	Apps	Goals
England	2017	1	0
	2021	2	1
	2022	9	0
	2023	16	0
	2024	11	1
	2025	13	0
Total		52	2

List of international goals scored by Jess Carter · Career statistics › International

No.

Date

30 November 2021

Venue

Keepmoat Stadium, Doncaster, England

Opponent

Latvia

Score

10–0

Result

20–0

Competition

2023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification

No.

Date

23 February 2024

Venue

Estadio Nuevo Mirador, Algeciras, Spain

Opponent

Austria

Score

5–1

Result

7–2

Competition

Friendly

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition	Ref.
1	30 November 2021	Keepmoat Stadium, Doncaster, England	Latvia	10–0	20–0	2023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification
2	23 February 2024	Estadio Nuevo Mirador, Algeciras, Spain	Austria	5–1	7–2	Friendly

References

Includes the FA Cup
Includes the WSL Cup
Includes the UEFA Women's Champions League, CONCACAF W Champions Cup
Includes the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup
Two appearances in the 2024–25 tournament, three appearances in the 2025–26 tournament
"FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 – Squad List: England (ENG)"
https://fdp.fifa.org/assetspublic/ce93/pdf/SquadLists-English.pdf
ChelseaFC
https://www.chelseafc.com/en/teams/women/jess-carter?pageTab=biography
The Independent
https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/jess-carter-england-women-b2388727.html
www.chelseafc.com
https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/article/getting-to-know-chelsea-women--jess-carter
"Warwick Juniors Angels Win Girls Cup"
http://www.birminghamfa.com/news/2013/apr/warwick-juniors-angels-win-girls-cup
90min
https://web.archive.org/web/20230402021108/https://www.90min.com/posts/england-euro-2022-winners-honoured-gold-plaques-local-football-clubs
"Birmingham City sign up Warwick Juniors youngster"
http://www.leamingtoncourier.co.uk/sport/football/birmingham-city-sign-up-warwick-juniors-youngster-1-5185792
The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/aug/18/england-womens-world-cup-jess-carter
"Debut delight for Jessica Carter"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVdjCm6hOVg
SheKicks
https://shekicks.net/jess-carter-joins-chelsea-women/
Sky Sports
https://www.skysports.com/football/news/12040/13059432/jess-carter-exclusive-how-chelseas-emma-hayes-and-englands-sarina-wiegman-have-helped-me
Football.London
https://www.football.london/womens-football/who-jess-carter-versatile-defender-24487534
The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/may/02/chelsea-bayern-munich-womens-champions-league-match-report
BBC Sport
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/57102472
BBC Sport
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/66552989
OneFootball
https://onefootball.com/en/news/jess-carter-signs-new-three-year-chelsea-contract-36050479
BBC Sport
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/63299110
UEFA
https://www.uefa.com/womenschampionsleague/match/2036230--chelsea-vs-real-madrid/
equalizersoccer.com
https://equalizersoccer.com/2024/07/29/jess-cater-signs-multi-year-deal-with-gotham-fc/
"Gotham FC Crowned Champions of Inaugural Concacaf W Champions Cup"
https://www.gothamfc.com/news/gotham-fc-crowned-champions-of-inaugural-concacaf-w-champions-cup
"Williamson leads England U19s to victory over Denmark"
http://www.thefa.com/news/england/womens/u19s/2014/apr/england-women-u19-denmark
"Brandrick is a proud man after Carter's England debut"
http://www.leamingtoncourier.co.uk/sport/football/brandrick-is-a-proud-man-after-carter-s-england-debut-1-5860614
"England Under 20 Squad Announced"
http://www.fawsl.com/news/england_under_20_squad_announced.html#2ofswXWXy3cgVqJw.97
Flashscore
https://www.flashscore.co.uk/player/carter-jessica/beLZpWbC/
"Thriller at SGP as Women's U19s draw with Norway"
http://www.thefa.com/news/england/womens/u19s/2014/jan/england-4-4-norway-report-310114
UEFA
https://www.uefa.com/womensunder19/match/2013317--england-vs-denmark/
www.thefa.com
http://www.thefa.com/news/2014/jun/17/england-u23s-0-3-norway-180614
www.thefa.com
http://www.thefa.com/news/2014/jul/01/fifa-world-cup-squad-canada
www.thefa.com
http://www.thefa.com/news/2014/aug/05/gemma-grainger-world-cup-canada-toronto-training-moncton
UEFA
https://www.uefa.com/womensworldcup/match/2022699--england-vs-kazakhstan/
www.thefa.com
http://www.thefa.com/news/2019/mar/26/england-women-u21s-squad-named-260319
www.thefa.com
http://www.thefa.com/news/2019/apr/08/england-u21s-norway-report-080419
www.thefa.com
http://www.thefa.com/news/2017/apr/03/england-womens-squad-italy-port-vale-austria-mk-dons-jessica-carter-mel-lawley-030417
England Football.com
https://www.englandfootball.com/articles/2022/Jun/15/england-womens-final-squad-named-for-UEFA-EURO-2022-20221506
the Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/football/gallery/2022/jun/15/england-women-squad-for-euro-2022-sarina-wiegman-final-23-in-pictures
The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/aug/21/womens-world-cup-2023-how-the-england-players-rated
www.englandfootball.com
https://www.englandfootball.com/england/womens-senior-team/Legacy
England Football
https://www.englandfootball.com/articles/2023/May/31/england-womens-senior-squad-named-for-world-cup-2023-20233105
The Independent
https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/jess-carter-england-prospect-spain-sarina-wiegman-b2395900.html
"Women's World Cup final: England lose to Spain in Sydney"
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66561827
BBC Sport
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/ceqgp23xjl4o
BBC Sport
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c2k1wwv7jkwo
The Times
https://archive.today/20250721120329/https://www.thetimes.com/sport/football/womens-football/womens-euro/article/jess-carter-racism-social-media-lionesses-euro-2025-nhf3f2kll
The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/jul/20/england-lionesses-condemn-racist-online-abuse-jess-carter-euro-2025
BBC Sport
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/live/c78n2p6yz3lt
Sky News
https://news.sky.com/story/man-59-arrested-after-racist-and-abusive-messages-sent-to-england-football-star-jess-carter-13419935
Sky Sports
https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/13059432/jess-carter-exclusive-how-chelseas-emma-hayes-and-englands-sarina-wiegman-have-helped-me
womenscompetitions.thefa.com
http://womenscompetitions.thefa.com/en/Article/jess-carter-talks-learning-german-and-chelseas-title-hopes-270420
The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/dec/19/how-jess-carter-met-ann-katrin-berger-as-far-as-i-knew-i-thought-i-was-straight
"Instagram"
https://www.instagram.com/p/C7cQH-qMVaU/?igsh=MWthNmZ0OHljeGZkbw==
"Coach Ali wants to give local girls chance to play football"
https://archive.today/20210619202510/https://www.eastlondonadvertiser.co.uk/sport/leyton-orient/judan-ali-football-academy-launch-date-3634802
"Interview with the Judan Ali Football Academy"
https://www.soccerphile.com/interviews/judan-ali-football-academy
"England - J. Carter - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway"
https://int.soccerway.com/players/jessica-carter/334686/
int.soccerway.com
https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2021/11/30/europe/womens-wc-qualifying-europe/england/latvia/3503171/
BBC Sport
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68367666
Soccerway
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2025/05/25/nc-america/concacaf-w-champions-cup/tigres-uanl/jersey-sky-blue/4365336/
https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/news/nwsl-championship-score-gotham-fc-washington-spirit-results-highlights/live/#:~:te
https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/news/nwsl-championship-score-gotham-fc-washington-spirit-results-highlights/live/#:~:text=Gotham%20FC%20won%20their%20second,at%20San%20Jose's%20PayPal%20Park
"England beat Germany to win first major women's trophy"
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/62339532
BBC Sport
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/65193111
BBC Sport
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60468047
BBC Sport
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/football/64611627
The PFA FA WSL Team of the Year Archived 2 September 2018 at the Wayback Machine, thepfa.com, 20 April 2017, Retrieved 2
https://www.thepfa.com/news/2017/4/20/pfa-wsl-team-of-the-year
Jess Carter wins PFA Young Player of the Year Archived 7 October 2023 at the Wayback Machine, thepfa.com, 23 April 2017,
https://www.thepfa.com/news/2017/4/23/jess-carter-wins-pfa-young-player-of-the-year
ITV News
https://www.itv.com/news/london/2022-08-01/lionesses-and-sarina-wiegman-given-freedom-of-the-city-of-london-after-euros-win
Chelsea F.C
https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/article/end-of-season-award-winners-revealed
UEFA
https://www.uefa.com/womenschampionsleague/news/028d-1afcf841e157-7aed3be7fae0-1000--2023-24-all-star-xi/
https://x.com/PFA/status/1984214852601290799?t=b6H2SyykhvbTZAKeaD68VQ&s=19
https://x.com/PFA/status/1984214852601290799?t=b6H2SyykhvbTZAKeaD68VQ&s=19
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6831449/2025/11/23/new-york-gotham-fc-city-hall-celebration/
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6831449/2025/11/23/new-york-gotham-fc-city-hall-celebration/