Rebecca Smith (footballer)
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Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Rebecca Katie Smith | ||
Date of birth | 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. |
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
- ↑ "Rebecca Smith". Sports-reference.com. Retrieved 16 February 2009.
- ↑ "Caps 'n' Goals, New Zealand Women's national representatives". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 22 September 2008.
- ↑ "Compass Fall 2011". Content.yudu.com. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
- ↑ "Rebecca "Bex" Smith '99 Leads New Zealand Women's World Cup Team". Chadwickschool.org. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
- ↑ "Bundesliga: Rebecca Smith wechselt zum VfL Wolfsburg". FOCUS Online. 1 February 2009. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
- ↑ "Frauenfuball 1. Bundesliga 2. Bundesligen Nord und Sd Wechselbersicht Winterpause 2009". Fansoccer.de. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
- ↑ "Rebecca Smith und Eve Chandraratne verlassen Wolfsburg". Womensoccer.de. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
- ↑ "New Zealand Squad List, 2007 Women's World Cup". FIFA. Retrieved 22 September 2008.
- ↑ "Olympic Football Squads Named". New Zealand Olympic Committee. 4 July 2008. Retrieved 4 July 2008.
- ↑ "Hearn gets Football Ferns' greenlight". Stuff.co.nz. NZPA. 8 June 2008. Retrieved 5 November 2011.
- ↑ "Football Ferns drop first Aussie test". NZ Football. 13 May 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
- ↑ "Rebecca Smith announces retirement". NZ Football. 13 May 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rebecca Smith (footballer). |
- Rebecca Smith – FIFA competition record
- NZ-Soccer Profile
- Interview *German*
- SvFF Profile