Olivia Smith (soccer) facts for kids
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Smith in 2024
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Olivia Smith | ||
| Date of birth | August 5, 2004 | ||
| Place of birth | North York, Ontario, Canada | ||
| Height | 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m) | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Liverpool | ||
| Number | 11 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Whitby SC | |||
| Oshawa Kicks SC | |||
| Ajax SC | |||
| Markham FC | |||
| North Toronto SC | |||
| NDC Ontario | |||
| North Toronto SC | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2022 | North Toronto Nitros | 11 | (18) |
| 2023–2024 | Sporting CP | 18 | (13) |
| 2024– | Liverpool | 11 | (3) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2018 | Canada U15 | 4 | (1) |
| 2022– | Canada U20 | 22 | (22) |
| 2019– | Canada | 13 | (3) |
† Appearances (Goals). |
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Olivia Smith, born on August 5, 2004, is a talented Canadian professional soccer player. She plays as a midfielder for Liverpool FC Women, a team in England's top league, the Women's Super League. Olivia also proudly represents her home country on the Canada national soccer team.
Contents
Olivia's Early Life and Soccer Journey
Olivia Smith was born in North York, Ontario, Canada, but she grew up in Whitby. She started playing soccer in a local house league with the Whitby Soccer Club. As she got older and better, she moved to competitive teams like Oshawa Kicks SC, Ajax SC, and Markham FC. Later, she joined North Toronto SC.
Olivia also trained with the Ontario Regional Excel (REX) program, which is now called NDC Ontario. This program helps young, talented players develop their skills. Before going to college, she returned to North Toronto SC to train even more.
College Soccer Experience
Olivia first planned to go to Florida State University to play soccer. However, she decided to attend Penn State University instead. There, she played for the women's soccer team.
She played her first college game on September 18, coming into the game in the second half. On September 25, she scored her first goal for the team. After just one season, Olivia decided to leave college to become a professional soccer player.
Olivia's Professional Club Career
Starting with North Toronto Nitros
In 2022, Olivia played for the North Toronto Nitros in League1 Ontario, a Canadian league. She made her first appearance on May 7. In her very next game on May 14, she scored her first goal for the team. She even scored two goals in one game on May 18. On June 18, she scored an amazing four goals in a single match!
After that season, Olivia received many awards. She was named the Young Player of the Season and the Forward of the Year. She also won the Golden Boot award for being the top scorer in the league. She scored 18 goals in just 11 games! She was also chosen as a League First Team All-Star and a U18 All-Star.
Playing in Portugal with Sporting CP
In July 2023, Olivia signed her first professional contract. She joined Sporting CP, a club in Portugal's top women's league, the Campeonato Nacional Feminino. She signed a three-year deal with the team.
In her very first league game for Sporting CP, she scored a goal and helped set up another. She had a very successful first professional season. The league's coaches and team captains voted her the player of the year. She also received an award for being the best young player of the season.
Joining Liverpool FC Women
In July 2024, Olivia moved to England. She signed with Liverpool FC Women, a famous club in the Women's Super League. She made history by becoming the first woman to score a goal for Liverpool at their home stadium, Anfield. This happened during a game against Manchester City.
Olivia's International Career for Canada
Early Steps and Youth Teams
Olivia first joined the Canada Soccer program when she was just 12 years old in 2017. She made her international debut for the Canadian U15 team in 2018 at the CONCACAF Girls' Under-15 Championship.
Making History with the Senior Team
In October 2019, Olivia was called up to the Canada senior national team for the first time. On November 7, 2019, she made history. At 15 years and 94 days old, she became the youngest player ever to play for the senior national team. She broke the record set by Kara Lang. This happened in a game against Brazil in China. She also played in another game against New Zealand in the same tournament.
Olivia was named the Canadian Youth International Player of the Year in 2019. In 2022, she was part of the Canada U20 team for the 2022 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. In April 2023, she scored two "hat tricks" (three goals in one game) during a tournament against Martinique and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Playing in the FIFA Women's World Cup
Olivia was a late addition to Canada's training camp for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. She was then chosen for the final team squad. At 18 years old, she was the youngest player on the team. Olivia made her World Cup debut in Canada's last group stage match against Australia.
Recent Success and Awards
In 2024, Olivia was named to the Canadian team for the 2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup. She said her biggest goal for the year was to make the smaller team for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. She scored her first goal for the senior national team in Canada's first Gold Cup game, a 6–0 win against El Salvador.
Olivia got her first start at the senior level in the second group game against Paraguay, where she scored her second goal of the tournament. She missed a later game due to a concussion. Olivia played in the semi-final against the United States, which Canada lost in a penalty shootout. She received the Young Player Award at the end of the tournament. Many people called the Gold Cup Olivia's "true breakout" on the international stage.
Unfortunately, due to an injury, she could not play in the 2024 SheBelieves Cup. This meant she was not included in the Canadian Olympic team. Olivia was named the Canada Soccer Young Player of the Year again in 2024.
Olivia's Personal Life
Olivia Smith has a diverse background. Her family comes from Jamaica, Chile, and Peru. In 2023, she joined the Women's Football Subcommittee for League1 Ontario. This group helps make decisions about women's soccer in the league.
Honours
Individual Awards
- CONCACAF W Gold Cup Best Young Player: 2024
- Liga BPI Young Player of the Season: 2023–24
- L1O Forwards of the Year: 2022
- L1O Young Player of the Year (U20): 2022
- L1O First Team All-Star: 2022
- L1O Golden Boot: 2022
- Canada Soccer Young Player of the Year: 2019, 2024
