Nikita Parris facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Nikita Parris

Parris playing for Manchester United in 2023
Personal information
Full name	Nikita Josephine Parris
Date of birth	(1994-03-10) 10 March 1994 (age 31)
Place of birth	Toxteth, Liverpool, England
Height	1.62m
Playing position	Forward
Club information
Current club	Brighton & Hove Albion
Number	9
Youth career
	Kingsley United
2008–2010	Everton
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2011–2015	Everton	38	(12)
2015	→ Manchester City (loan)	13	(4)
2016–2019	Manchester City	59	(33)
2019–2021	Olympique Lyonnais	35	(21)
2021–2022	Arsenal	18	(1)
2022–2024	Manchester United	42	(12)
2024–	Brighton & Hove Albion	11	(4)
National team‡
2009–2010	England U17	8	(2)
2010–2013	England U19	26	(18)
2014	England U20	3	(1)
2014–2016	England U23	12	(6)
2016–2022	England	71	(17)
2021	Great Britain	4	(0)
Honours Women's football Representing  England UEFA Women's Championship Winner 2022 England
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 17 January 2025. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 15 November 2022

Nikita Josephine Parris (born 10 March 1994) is an English professional footballer. She plays as a forward for Women's Super League club Brighton & Hove Albion. She also plays for the England national team.

Nikita has played for many top clubs. These include Olympique Lyonnais in France, and Manchester City, Everton, Arsenal, and Manchester United in England.

From 2018 to 2020, Nikita was the top scorer in the Women's Super League. With Olympique Lyonnais, she won the Champions League in 2019–20. She also won the French Cup and other trophies. With Manchester City, she won the league title in 2016. She also won two League Cups and two FA Cups.

Nikita played for England's youth teams from under-17 to under-23. She helped the under-19 team finish second in the 2013 U-19 Championship. She made her debut for the senior England team in 2016. She helped England reach the semi-finals of Euro 2017. She also helped them finish fourth at the 2019 World Cup. Her six goals in World Cup qualification were the most in Europe. This helped England secure their spot in the tournament. She also helped England win the SheBelieves Cup in 2019 and the Arnold Clark Cup in 2022. Most notably, she was part of the team that won the Euro 2022.

In 2019, Nikita Parris was named the FWA Women's Footballer of the Year. She was also listed among The Guardian's The 100 Best Female Footballers In The World in 2018 and 2019.

Early Life and Football Dreams

Nikita Parris was born in Toxteth, a part of Liverpool, England. She grew up with her twin sister and two brothers. Her mother, Jo, worked hard to support the family.

Nikita went to St. Patrick's Primary School in Liverpool. There, she trained with the athletic team. She dreamed of playing football like Julie Fleeting, a famous player for Arsenal and Scotland. At age six, she started playing football with boys near her home. She kept playing with boys until she was sixteen. Her mother often saw her sliding to tackle the boys, or them tackling her!

When she was eleven, Nikita started her own football team. She wanted a women's team in her local area. She gathered her friends and family. Her team, called Kingsley United, was very successful and won the league. Nikita's sister and two cousins also played on this team. In 2022, a special plaque was put up at the club to honor Nikita.

Nikita was a big fan of Liverpool FC when she was a girl. Her mother would buy her the newest football kit. She loved to copy her favorite players like Michael Owen and Fernando Torres. When she was ten, Mo Marley, the coach for Everton, noticed her. Nikita joined Everton's Centre of Excellence when she was 14.

Nikita went to Bellerive FCJ Catholic College. In 2010, she moved to Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School. This school was special for sports. She later earned a degree in sports development from Liverpool John Moores University.

Club Career Highlights

Starting at Everton

Nikita Parris played her first senior game for Everton in May 2010. She was just 16 years old. She came on as a substitute against Arsenal. In August 2010, she played in a qualifying game for the 2010–11 UEFA Women's Champions League. She scored two goals in a 10–0 win against Borec. She played in five Champions League matches for Everton that season.

The next year, she joined Everton's team for the first season of the Women's Super League (FA WSL). She played in three games in 2011. In the 2012 FA WSL season, she played in 10 matches.

The 2013 season was when Nikita started scoring many goals for Everton. She scored six goals in 11 games. She scored the winning goal in a 1–0 victory over Notts County. Everton finished third in the league that year.

In the 2014 season, Nikita scored 11 goals in 19 games. However, Everton did not win any league games and moved down to FA WSL 2. After her great performance in 2014, she was nominated for the 2015 PFA Women's Young Player of the Year award. She was also named Everton's Player of the Year.

Loan to Manchester City

In January 2015, Nikita joined Manchester City on loan for a season. She wanted to play in the top league (WSL 1) to have a chance to play for the senior England team. She scored four goals in 13 matches for Manchester City. Her first goal was a winning header against Sunderland. Manchester City finished second in the league that season.

Playing for Manchester City

Nikita signed a two-year contract with Manchester City in January 2016. In the 2016 FA WSL season, she scored one goal in 16 games. Her winning goal against Sunderland helped City win 2–0. City finished first in the league that year. She also helped Manchester City win the 2016 League Cup.

Parris heading the ball during a 2017–18 UEFA Women's Champions League match in October 2017.

Nikita played her first UEFA Women's Champions League game for Manchester City in October 2016. She helped Manchester City reach the semi-finals of the 2016–17 tournament.

In early 2017, she scored three goals in six games during the FA WSL Spring Series. She also helped the club win the 2016–17 FA Women's Cup. In the 2017–18 FA WSL season, she scored 11 goals in 18 games. She was the second-highest scorer in the league. She scored two goals in a game against Sunderland and another two against Liverpool. She also scored three goals in one game (a hat-trick) against Yeovil Town. Manchester City finished second in the league and qualified for the Champions League again.

Nikita played in eight Champions League matches for Manchester City in 2017–18. She scored four goals, including two winning goals. Manchester City reached the semi-finals but lost to Olympique Lyonnais.

In November 2017, Nikita signed a new contract with Manchester City. In the 2018–19 season, she scored 19 goals in 19 games. She became the all-time top goalscorer in the Women's Super League on 4 November 2018. She scored two goals against Liverpool, bringing her total to 37 goals. She said it was "an amazing feeling" to be so young and be the top scorer. She scored another two goals against Brighton & Hove Albion. She also scored a hat-trick against Reading. Manchester City finished second in the league. Nikita's two goals against Chelsea helped City reach the 2018–19 FA Women's League Cup Final. They won the final against Arsenal after a penalty shootout. That same year, she helped Manchester City win the 2018–19 FA Women's Cup at Wembley Stadium.

On 11 May 2019, Nikita announced she would leave Manchester City. During her time there, she played 127 games and scored 62 goals. She also had 25 assists. In 2019, she was voted the Football Writers’ Association Women's Player of the Year. She helped Manchester City win two FA Cups, two League Cups, and one league title.

Moving to Olympique Lyonnais

On 19 June 2019, French club Olympique Lyonnais signed Nikita Parris for three years. She scored her first goal for the club in her first game, a 6–0 win against Marseille. She scored eight goals in 15 league games that season. Olympique Lyonnais finished first in the league.

Nikita also scored four goals in six Champions League games. She missed the final because she was suspended. However, Olympique Lyonnais won the Champions League title for the fifth time in a row. They beat VfL Wolfsburg 3–1 in the final. This was Lyon's seventh Champions League title.

In the 2020–21 Division 1 Féminine season, Nikita scored her first goal in a 3–0 win against Reims. She scored two goals against Soyaux and four goals in 26 minutes against Issy. She scored two more goals against Paris FC, bringing her season total to eleven goals.

Playing for Arsenal

After two seasons in France, Nikita Parris returned to the Super League. She signed with Arsenal on 2 July 2021. She scored her first goal for Arsenal in her debut game on 18 August. This was a Champions League match against Okzhetpes. On 1 May 2022, she scored her 50th goal in the WSL in a match against Aston Villa.

Joining Manchester United

Parris with Manchester United

On 6 August 2022, Nikita Parris signed with WSL club Manchester United.

In November 2023, she scored 6 goals in 6 games. This included three goals (a hat trick) against Everton in the League Cup. Fans voted her Manchester United's Player of the Month. On 28 January 2024, Nikita scored both goals in a 2–1 win against Aston Villa in the WSL. She was United's top scorer that season with 13 goals in 16 games. In May 2024, Nikita was part of the Manchester United team that won the 2024 Women's FA Cup final by beating Tottenham 4–0.

Brighton & Hove Albion

On 13 September 2024, Parris joined another WSL team, Brighton & Hove Albion. On 5 October, she scored her first goal for Brighton in a 4–2 league win against Aston Villa.

International Career for England

Youth Teams

Nikita Parris played for England's youth teams. She represented the country from the under-17 to the under-23 age groups. She scored over 20 goals at youth level.

In 2012, she scored the winning goal against Finland. She also scored three goals (a hat trick) against Wales. This helped the England under-19s qualify for the 2012 final tournament. In 2013, she scored more goals in qualification and the final tournament. The under-19s finished second in the competition. They also qualified for the 2014 U-20 World Cup. Nikita then played for the England under-20s at the U-20 World Cup. She scored the first goal against Nigeria.

In 2015, her under-23 coach, Mo Marley, said Nikita was a "really, really good talented player." She believed Nikita would soon play for the senior England team.

Senior England Team

Nikita Parris (right) playing for England in October 2018.

On 4 June 2016, Nikita Parris made her first senior international appearance for England. She came on as a substitute in a 7–0 win against Serbia. She also got one assist. Three days later, she scored two goals in another 7–0 win against Serbia.

On 27 June 2017, Nikita scored her first goal in a major tournament. She scored the winning goal in England's 2–1 win against Portugal at Euro 2017. After scoring against Russia in the next match, Nikita and her teammates celebrated with coach Mark Sampson. Later, Nikita reflected on this moment. In June 2020, she wrote an open letter and apologized to her teammate Eniola Aluko. She called the celebration a "thoughtless action" that showed a lack of understanding.

England finished first in their group at Euro 2017. They won all three matches. After beating France 1–0 in the quarter-final, England lost 3–0 to the Netherlands in the semi-final. The Netherlands went on to win the tournament.

Nikita Parris (left) playing for England in 2019.

On 2 March 2019, Nikita scored against the United States in a 2–2 draw. England won the 2019 SheBelieves Cup for the first time. Her six goals in 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification (UEFA) were the most in Europe. This helped England qualify for the World Cup.

In 2019, David Beckham announced Nikita's spot on the England team for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup. Nikita scored her first World Cup goal in England's first game. It was a penalty in a 2–1 win over Scotland. She was named FIFA's Player of the Match. She took another penalty in the next game against Argentina, but the goalkeeper saved it. England still won 1–0. After missing a second penalty against Norway, manager Phil Neville said she would still take the next one. However, in the semi-final against the United States, captain Steph Houghton took the penalty instead. Houghton's penalty was saved, and England finished fourth in the tournament. On 29 August, Nikita scored a penalty to help England draw 3–3 against Belgium in a friendly game.

In June 2022, Nikita was part of the England squad that won the UEFA Women's Euro 2022.

Playing for Great Britain

On 27 May 2021, Nikita was chosen to play for the Great Britain team at the 2020 Summer Olympics. She scored in a friendly game against New Zealand, which Great Britain won 3–0. She played in all four of Great Britain's games at the Olympics.

Career Statistics

Club Appearances and Goals

International Appearances and Goals

International goals

Scores and results list England's goal tally first.

International goals scored by Nikita Parris representing England

Goal	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
England goals
1	7 June 2016	Sports Center of FA of Serbia, Stara Pazova, Serbia	Serbia	6–0	7–0	Euro 2017 qualifying
2				7–0
3	20 September 2016	Den Dreef, Leuven, Belgium	Belgium	1–0	2–0
4	27 July 2017	Koning Willem II Stadion, Tilburg, Netherlands	Portugal	2–1	2–1	Euro 2017
5	19 September 2017	Prenton Park, Birkenhead, England	Russia	1–0	6–0	2019 World Cup qualifying
6	24 November 2017	Bescot Stadium, Walsall, England	Bosnia and Herzegovina	2–0	4–0
7	28 November 2017	Colchester Community Stadium, Colchester, England	Kazakhstan	3–0	5–0
8				4–0
9	8 June 2018	Sapsan Arena, Moscow, Russia	Russia	1–0	3–1
10	31 August 2018	Rodney Parade, Newport, Wales	Wales	3–0	3–0
11	2 March 2019	Nissan Stadium, Nashville, United States	United States	2–1	2–2	2019 SheBelieves Cup
12	25 May 2019	Bescot Stadium, Walsall, England	Denmark	1–0	2–0	Friendly
13	9 June 2019	Allianz Riviera, Nice, France	Scotland	1–0	2–1	2019 Women's World Cup
14	29 August 2019	Den Dreef, Heverlee, Belgium	Belgium	3–3	3–3	Friendly
15	21 September 2021	Stade de Luxembourg, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg	Luxembourg	3–0	10–0	2023 World Cup qualifying
16	3 September 2022	Stadion Wiener Neustadt, Wiener Neustadt, Austria	Austria	2–0	2–0
17	6 September 2022	Bet365 Stadium, Stoke-on-Trent, England	Luxembourg	7–0	10–0
Great Britain goals
#	14 July 2021	Kawasaki Todoroki Stadium, Tokyo, Japan	New Zealand	2–0	3–0	Friendly

Awards and Honors

Manchester City

• FA Women's Super League: 2016
• FA Women's Cup: 2016–17, 2018–19
• FA WSL Cup: 2016, 2018–19

Olympique Lyonnais

• Division 1 Féminine: 2019–20
• Coupe de France: 2019–20
• Trophée des Championnes: 2019
• UEFA Women's Champions League: 2019–20

Manchester United

• Women's FA Cup: 2023–24; runner-up: 2022–23

England U19

• UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship runner-up: 2013

England

• UEFA Women's Championship: 2022
• SheBelieves Cup: 2019
• Arnold Clark Cup: 2022

Individual Awards

• Everton Player of the Year: 2014
• FWA Women's Footballer of the Year: 2019
• Freedom of the City of London (announced 1 August 2022)
• Women's Super League: all-time leading scorer from 2018 to 2020

Playing Style and Qualities

As a young player, Nikita Parris admired Julie Fleeting, who was known for scoring goals. Teammates describe Nikita as "down to earth" and having "exceptional gifts." She is known for her strong determination and quick learning.

Former England manager Phil Neville said in 2019 that Nikita is "world class." The Telegraph newspaper called her "an exhilarating footballer." They said she is "fast and clinical" on the field.

Gaffer magazine said her best quality is her foresight. They also praised her "grounded, thoughtful and hungry" leadership. Her sister, boxer Natasha Jonas, said, "She will always try her best and give 100 percent." She added that Nikita always leaves everything on the pitch.

Personal Life and Community Work

Nikita Parris is the younger sister of boxer Natasha Jonas. Her first name is sometimes shortened to "Keets." She is a practicing Catholic.

In 2020, Nikita started the NP17 Football Academy. This academy helps students in Liverpool get sports qualifications. She said, "That community gave me life and gave me an opportunity." She wants to give other girls the chance to succeed. The academy is based at The City of Liverpool College. It is supported by Puma, which donates sports equipment. Other partners include the Liverpool City Council.

In the same year, Nikita worked with England's The Football Association (FA). She joined seven other famous footballers, including Harry Kane. They formed a group to help more black, Asian, and other minority ethnic people get senior roles in football. This group helps develop the FA’s Leadership Diversity Code.

Nikita Parris is sponsored by Visa and Puma. In June 2019, she was in a promotional video for Visa and the 2019 World Cup. She has also been in the EA Sports' FIFA video game series since FIFA 17.

In June 2019, a large mural of Nikita Parris was put up on London Road in Liverpool. Another mural of Parris was also unveiled in Toxteth. This mural was created by artist Javier Espinal and local youth.

See also

In Spanish: Nikita Parris para niños

• List of UEFA Women's Championship goalscorers
• List of England women's international footballers
• List of FA WSL hat-tricks