Rebecca Smith (footballer)

Rebecca Smith
Personal information
Full name Rebecca Katie Smith
Date of birth (1981-06-17) 17 June 1981
Place of birth Los Angeles, California, United States
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Playing position Defender
Club information
Current team
 VfL Wolfsburg
Youth career
Palos Verdes Breakers
South Bay Gunners
Fram-CQ Soccer Club
1995–1999 Chadwick School
1999–2003 Duke University
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2003–2004 Ajax America Women
2004 1. FFC Frankfurt
2005 FSV Frankfurt
2005–2008 Sunnanå SK
2008 Newcastle United Jets
2009–2013 VfL Wolfsburg
National team‡
2003–2013 New Zealand 74 (6)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 10 October 2013

Rebecca Katie Smith (born 17 June 1981 in Los Angeles, California)[1] is a former New Zealand soccer player who has represented her country at international level.[2]

Early life

Rebecca attended high school at Chadwick School in Palos Verdes, California and played soccer there during her freshman year.[3] She graduated in 1999.[4]

Career

A natural leader, Rebecca captained Duke University side before landing a professional contract in Europe.

Smith played for the Newcastle United Jets in the W-League and Sunnanå SK before being signed by VfL Wolfsburg.[5] on 2 February 2009.[6] Smith formerly trained with and had played friendlies for the club.

In 2013 she ended her career due to knee problems.[7]

International

Smith made her Football Ferns debut in a 15-0 victory over Samoa on 7 April 2003, and captained New Zealand at the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup finals in China,[8] where they lost to Brazil 0-5, Denmark (0-2) and China (0-2).

Smith was also included in the New Zealand squad for the 2008 Summer Olympic games where they drew with Japan (2-2) before losing to Norway(0-1) and USA (0-4).[9] Smith's solid performances in New Zealand's rearguard earned her a FIFA Women's World Player of the Year nomination in 2007 and New Zealand Player of the Year in 2007.[10]

Smith played her 50th international in a friendly against Australia on 12 May 2011.[11]

She was part of the New Zealand team that reached the quarter-finals at the 2012 Summer Olympics.

On September 18, 2013, Smith announced her retirement from football.[12]

References

  1. ↑ "Rebecca Smith". Sports-reference.com. Retrieved 16 February 2009.
  2. ↑ "Caps 'n' Goals, New Zealand Women's national representatives". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 22 September 2008.
  3. ↑ "Compass Fall 2011". Content.yudu.com. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  4. ↑ "Rebecca "Bex" Smith '99 Leads New Zealand Women's World Cup Team". Chadwickschool.org. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  5. ↑ "Bundesliga: Rebecca Smith wechselt zum VfL Wolfsburg". FOCUS Online. 1 February 2009. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  6. ↑ "Frauenfuball 1. Bundesliga 2. Bundesligen Nord und Sd Wechselbersicht Winterpause 2009". Fansoccer.de. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  7. ↑ "Rebecca Smith und Eve Chandraratne verlassen Wolfsburg". Womensoccer.de. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  8. ↑ "New Zealand Squad List, 2007 Women's World Cup". FIFA. Retrieved 22 September 2008.
  9. ↑ "Olympic Football Squads Named". New Zealand Olympic Committee. 4 July 2008. Retrieved 4 July 2008.
  10. ↑ "Hearn gets Football Ferns' greenlight". Stuff.co.nz. NZPA. 8 June 2008. Retrieved 5 November 2011.
  11. ↑ "Football Ferns drop first Aussie test". NZ Football. 13 May 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  12. ↑ "Rebecca Smith announces retirement". NZ Football. 13 May 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
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