Right Back: Ellie Carpenter
Ellie Carpenter
REPRESENTING COUNTRY: Australia
POSITION: Right Back
AGE: 24
CLUB: Olympique Lyonnais
International CAPS: 71
HONORS: 2017 Tournament of Nations, FFA Cup Champions (2019), IFFHS AFC Woman Team of the Decade (2001-2020), W-League Young Footballer of the Year.
PERSONAL OLYMPICS HISTORY: Ellie Carpenter has a rich Olympic history, being the youngest ever women player in Women's Soccer in the Olympics, debuting when she was 15 years old at Rio in 2016.
BACKGROUND ON AUSTRALIA's TEAM: The Australian Women's National Team, also known as the Matlidas, which comes from the Australian folksong called "Waltzing Matildas". The team has competed in four Olympics, but has never medaled despite their impressive rosters and growth in the last decade. This year's Olympics will be very telling for the Matilda's as they have been pooled in the "Group of Death" as some have called it, playing the U.S., Germany and Zambia.
Why we picked Carpenter
Ellie Carpenter is a superstar. Age 24, Carpenter is a young powerhouse but will be one of the most seasoned Matilda squad members to take the pitch in Paris. Having played in two Olympics in her career, Carpenter is going to come in hot for her third Olympic games. In her Club Career, Carpenter has played for the Western Sydney Wanderers, Canberra United FC, and the Portland Thorns, before signing with Lyon in 2020. Her impressive career is mirrored in her big time sponsorships with Coca Cola, Visa and Nike. Since then, her contract has been extended until 2026. In terms of her personal life, Carpenter is engaged to her Lyon teammate Danielle Van de Donk, who is from the Netherlands. Carpenter is also a partner with an organization called Goal Girls, which provides free access for young girls to hone their skills and confidence on and off the field. We are excited to see what Carpenter does this Summer, as she is hitting her stride again after coming back from an ACL injury from 2022.
