Eni Aluko facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Eniola Aluko
MBE

Aluko with Saint Louis Athletica in 2009
Personal information
Date of birth	(1987-02-21) 21 February 1987 (age 38)
Place of birth	Lagos, Nigeria
Height	5 ft 3 in (1.59 m)
Position(s)	Forward
Youth career
	Leafield Athletic
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2001–2004	Birmingham City
2004–2007	Charlton Athletic
2007–2009	Chelsea	28	(15)
2009–2010	Saint Louis Athletica	25	(10)
2010	Atlanta Beat	14	(5)
2011	Sky Blue FC	15	(4)
2012	Birmingham City	13	(4)
2012–2018	Chelsea	73	(32)
2018–2019	Juventus	27	(15)
International career
2004–2016	England	105	(33)
2012	Great Britain	5	(0)
Medal record Women's football Representing  England FIFA Women's World Cup Bronze 2015
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Eniola Aluko (born 21 February 1987) is a British football expert and former professional player. She played as a winger and striker. Aluko is also a regular TV commentator for live football games. She has worked for ITV, BT Sport, Amazon Prime, and Fox Sports in the USA since 2014.

Aluko was the first Sporting Director for Angel City FC in the American National Women's Soccer League. Before that, she was the Sporting Director at Aston Villa W.F.C. from January 2020 to June 2021.

Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Aluko moved to Birmingham, England, when she was six months old. She played 102 games for the England national team from 2004 to 2016. She played in several major tournaments, including the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup. She also represented Great Britain at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

Aluko played for several clubs in England, including Birmingham City, Charlton Athletic, and Chelsea. She also played in the American Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) league for Saint Louis Athletica, Atlanta Beat, and Sky Blue FC. After returning to England, she played for Chelsea again from 2012 to 2018.

Before she stopped playing professional football in January 2020, Aluko played as a forward for Juventus. In 2023, she became an investor and advisor for the Mercury/13 group.

Early Life and Football Start

Eniola Aluko was born in Lagos, Nigeria. She moved to Birmingham, England, with her family when she was very young. She grew up playing football with her brother, Sone Aluko, and his friends. She also enjoyed other sports like tennis. As a child, Aluko supported Manchester United.

Aluko began her football journey at Leafield Athletic Ladies. She then joined Birmingham City Ladies' youth team. She scored a goal in her first game for Birmingham when she was just 14 years old.

Club Career Highlights

Playing for Birmingham City (2001–2004)

In 2002, at 15, Aluko played in the FA Women's Premier League Cup Final for Birmingham. Her team lost to Fulham, but Birmingham won promotion to the top league that season. Her goal-scoring skills led her manager to call her "the Wayne Rooney of women's football."

Aluko was recognized as the Young Player of the Year at The FA Women's Football Awards in 2003.

Time at Charlton Athletic (2004–2007)

Aluko joined Charlton Athletic in January 2004. She helped Charlton win the FA Women's Premier League Cup in March 2004. Charlton also reached the FA Women's Cup final in 2004 but lost to Arsenal.

In August 2004, Aluko helped Charlton win the FA Women's Community Shield. She set up the winning goal in a 1–0 victory over Arsenal. Her speed was a key skill, and she used it to score the winning goal in the 2005 FA Women's Cup Final against Everton. She also scored two goals in the 2006 FA Women's Premier League Cup Final, helping Charlton beat Arsenal 2–1.

Aluko also won the London FA Women's Cup with Charlton in 2005 and 2006.

First Spell at Chelsea (2007–2009)

After Charlton's women's team lost support from their main club, Aluko moved to Chelsea Ladies in July 2007.

Playing in the WPS (2009–2011)

Eniola Aluko against the Boston Breakers

In October 2008, Aluko joined Saint Louis Athletica in the American Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) league. She was the team's top scorer in 2009 with six goals and also had four assists. This helped Athletica finish second in the league.

When Saint Louis Athletica closed down in 2010, Aluko signed with Atlanta Beat. She later moved to Sky Blue FC in December 2010.

Return to Birmingham City (2012)

Aluko with Birmingham City in October 2012

When the WPS league took a break in 2012, Aluko decided to return to England. She signed with Birmingham City, finding them to be a "more stable" club.

In 2012, Aluko scored five goals and had two assists for Birmingham City. The team finished second in the FA WSL League and Cup. Birmingham City won their first major trophy by defeating Chelsea in the 2012 FA Women's Cup Final on penalties. Aluko came on as a substitute in that final.

Second Spell at Chelsea (2012–2018)

After one season at Birmingham, Aluko rejoined Chelsea in December 2012. In her first season back, she scored six goals and made three assists. Chelsea reached the final of the 2013 International Women's Club Championship, losing to INAC Kobe Leonessa.

In 2014, Aluko scored seven goals and had one assist for Chelsea. Chelsea almost won the Super League title that year but lost on goal difference on the last day.

Aluko was nominated for the 2014–15 PFA Women's Players' Player of the Year award. She won Chelsea Ladies' Player of the Year for 2014–15 and was named in the 2015 PFA WSL Team of the Year.

In 2015, Aluko played in the first FA Women's Cup Final held at Wembley Stadium. Her Chelsea team won 1–0 against Notts County, securing the club's first major trophy. Aluko was named Player of the Match and assisted the winning goal. That same year, Chelsea also won their first WSL title.

Aluko's role in the team changed after Chelsea signed new players. She left Chelsea in May 2018. She scored in her final appearance for the club.

Playing for Juventus (2018–2019)

Aluko signed with Italian club Juventus in June 2018. She later spoke about some negative experiences in the city.

In November 2019, Aluko announced she would leave Juventus after 18 months. She said her time there was a period of "great success and lots of learning." She returned to Britain in December, having won Serie A, Coppa Italia, and Supercoppa Italiana with Juventus. She was also Juventus' top scorer the previous season. On 15 January 2020, Aluko announced her retirement from professional football.

International Career

Playing for England

Aluko in 2014

Eniola Aluko was called into the England setup when she was 14. She chose to play for England because their coaches had given her the chance to play internationally. She explained that choosing England did not mean she didn't support Nigeria, as she felt both Nigerian and British.

Aluko played for England's Under-17 and Under-19 teams, scoring in her Under-19 debut. She made her senior debut for England at age 17 in September 2004 against the Netherlands. Her first senior goal came in May 2005 against the Czech Republic. She scored two more goals in a 13–0 win against Hungary that October.

Aluko played in UEFA Women's Euro 2005 while also taking her A-Level exams. At the FIFA Women's World Cup 2007, she played in group matches and the quarter-final. After the tournament, she spoke about the need for more financial support for England's top female players.

Aluko played a bigger role at UEFA Women's Euro 2009. She scored against Russia and two more goals against Finland in the quarter-finals. She also assisted a goal in the semi-final against the Netherlands. England lost to Germany in the final.

Aluko scored against Switzerland in September 2010, helping England qualify for the FIFA Women's World Cup 2011. During the tournament, she faced some criticism for her performance. She was later substituted in a group match and was an unused substitute when England lost to France in the quarter-finals.

Aluko of England during a match against Montenegro, April 2014

As England qualified for the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, Aluko was the joint-top scorer in the qualifying rounds with 13 goals. This included her first hat-trick against Montenegro. At the World Cup, Aluko started England's first two group matches. She came on as a substitute in the third-place play-off against Germany. England won 1–0 after extra time, earning bronze medals. This was England's first-ever win against Germany.

Aluko was not called up to the national team after May 2016. The Football Association later apologized to Aluko after an investigation found that racist remarks had been made to her and teammate Drew Spence. At UEFA Women's Euro 2017, Aluko worked as a pundit for Channel 4.

When England's team celebrated a goal with their coach, Mark Sampson, Aluko publicly criticized her former teammates. She felt their actions showed a lack of understanding given the situation with Sampson. Another player, Nikita Parris, later apologized to Aluko in 2020, admitting the celebration was "thoughtless."

Aluko was given the number 154 as part of a scheme to honor England's international players.

England International Goals

Scores and results list England's goal tally first.

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Result	Competition	Scored
1	26 May 2005	Bescot Stadium, Walsall	Czech Republic	4–1	Friendly	1
3	27 October 2005	Tapolcia Stadium, Tapolca	Hungary	13–0	2007 FIFA World Cup Qualifying	2
4	8 March 2007	National Hockey Stadium, Milton Keynes	Russia	6–0	Friendly	1
5	27 October 2007	Bescot Stadium, Walsall	Belarus	4–0	2009 UEFA Championship Qualifying
6	10 March 2009	GSZ Stadium, Larnaca	Scotland	3–0	2009 Cyprus Cup
7	28 August 2009	Finnair Stadium, Helsinki	Russia	3–2	2009 UEFA Championship
9	3 September 2009	Veritas Stadion, Turku	Finland	3–2	2009 UEFA Championship	2
10	22 March 2010	Loftus Road, London	Austria	3–0	2011 FIFA World Cup Qual.	1
11	16 September 2010	Stadion Niedermatten, Wohlen	Switzerland	3–2	2011 FIFA World Cup Qualifying
12	19 September 2012	Bescot Stadium, Walsall	Croatia	3–0	UEFA Euro 2013 Qual.
13	11 March 2013	GSZ Stadium, Larnaca	New Zealand	3–1	2013 Cyprus Cup
14	26 June 2013	Pirelli Stadium, Burton	Japan	1–1	Friendly
15	12 July 2013	Arena Linköping, Linköping	Spain	2–3	Euro 2013
16	21 September 2013	Dean Court, Bournemouth	Belarus	6–0	2015 FIFA World Cup Qualifying
18	26 September 2013	Fratton Park, Portsmouth	Turkey	8–0		2
19	31 October 2013	5 Ocak Stadium, Adana	Turkey	4–0		1
20	17 January 2014	La Manga Stadium, La Manga Club	Norway	1–1	Friendly
21	2 March 2014	GSZ Stadium, Larnaca	Finland	3–0	2014 Cyprus Cup
22	5 April 2014	Falmer Stadium, Brighton and Hove	Montenegro	9–0	2015 FIFA World Cup Qualifying
24	8 May 2014	Greenhous Meadow, Shrewsbury	Ukraine	4–0		2
25	14 June 2014	Traktar Stadium, Minsk	Belarus	3–0		1
26	19 June 2014	Arena Lviv, Lviv	Ukraine	2–1
27	21 August 2014	Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff	Wales	4–0
30	17 September 2014	Stadion Pod Malim Brdom, Petrovac	Montenegro	10–0		3
31	4 March 2015	GSZ Stadium, Larnaca	Finland	3–1	2015 Cyprus Cup	1
32	9 March 2015	GSP Stadium, Nicosia	Netherlands	1–1	2015 Cyprus Cup
33	23 October 2015	Yongchuan Sports Center, Chongqing	China	1–2	Dewellbon Cup

Playing for Great Britain

2012 Olympics

In June 2012, Aluko was chosen for the Great Britain squad for the 2012 London Olympics. She played in Great Britain's first official game, a friendly draw against Sweden.

At the Olympics, Aluko started all three group matches. Great Britain won against New Zealand, Cameroon, and Brazil, moving to the quarter-finals. Aluko also started in the quarter-final match where Great Britain lost to Canada.

2016 Olympics

Even though England finished third at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, which usually earns a spot for Great Britain in the Olympics, it was decided that Great Britain would not send a women's team to the 2016 Rio Olympics. This meant Aluko did not add to her five Great Britain caps.

Executive Career in Football

In January 2020, shortly after retiring from playing, Aluko became the director of women's football at Aston Villa.

In May 2021, Aluko became the sporting director of Los Angeles-based Angel City FC. This was before their first season in the American National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). In August 2022, she moved to a role focusing on player recruitment. Aluko left Angel City in January 2023.

In April 2024, Aluko made history by joining the board of Italy’s top women's football club, FC Como Women. She is part of Mercury 13, an investment group that supports women’s football clubs.

In July 2024, Eni Aluko started a £60,000 scholarship program with Brunel University of London (BUL). This scholarship helps future lawyers and sports stars with their studies and career development. The scholarship covers tuition fees, travel, and competition costs for students. Aluko also partnered with Adidas to provide sponsored sports gear to the scholarship recipients.

Personal Life and Education

While playing for England during Women's Euro 2005, Aluko was also studying for her A-Levels. She later studied law at Brunel University and graduated with a top degree in 2008. She planned to take bar exams in both New York and England to practice entertainment law in both countries.

Aluko completed a Legal Practice Course and had training at law firms. In March 2015, she decided to focus fully on playing professional football. She later worked as a consultant for a law firm before moving to Italy with Juventus.

Her younger brother, Sone Aluko, is a retired footballer. He played for England's youth teams and later for Nigeria's national team. Aluko's father was a Member of Parliament in Nigeria.

Aluko has publicly stated that she is a liberal and does not strongly support any single political party. Her Christianity became stronger with the help of former footballer Linvoy Primus. In 2020, Aluko was named in the Powerlist, which recognizes the 100 most influential Black Britons.

In October 2022, Aluko was one of the first women to be included in the WSL Hall of Fame by the Football Association.

Aluko was awarded the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2023 for her contributions to football and charity.

Achievements and Awards

Birmingham City

• FA WPL Cup runner-up: 2001–02
• FA WPL Northern Division: 2001–02
• FA Women's Young Player of the Year: 2002–03
• FA Women's Cup: 2011–12

Charlton Athletic

• FA WPL National Division runner-up: 2003–04, 2004–05
• FA Women's Cup: 2004–05
• FA WPL Cup: 2005–06
• FA Women's Community Shield: 2004

Saint Louis Athletica

• Women's Professional Soccer regular season runner-up: 2009

Chelsea

• FA WSL: 2015, 2017, 2017–18
• FA Women's Cup: 2014–15, 2017–18
• International Women's Club Championship runner-up: 2013

Juventus

• Serie A: 2018–19
• Coppa Italia: 2018–19
• Supercoppa Italiana: 2019

England

• UEFA Women's Championship runner-up: 2009
• Cyprus Cup: 2009, 2013, 2015
• FIFA Women's World Cup third place: 2015

Individual Awards

• Chelsea Ladies Player of the Year: 2014–15
• PFA WSL Team of the Year: 2015, 2017
• FA WSL top scorer: 2016
• Women's Super League Hall of Fame: 2022

Images for kids

• 

  Aluko with Saint Louis Athletica in 2009

• 

  Eniola Aluko against the Boston Breakers

• 

  Aluko with Birmingham City in October 2012

• 

  Aluko in 2014

• 

  Aluko of England during a match against Montenegro, April 2014

See also

In Spanish: Eniola Aluko para niños