Toni Duggan

Toni Duggan, born on July 25, 1991, in Liverpool, England, began her football journey in the youth ranks of Everton. She made her breakthrough in the 2007–08 season, contributing to Everton’s success, including a win in the FA Women’s Cup final in 2010. During her initial tenure at Everton, Duggan was recognized as the FA Women’s Young Player of the Year in 2009, the England Women’s Under-23 Player of the Year in 2012, and the North West Female Player of the Year in 2013, highlighting her early impact and talent in the sport. Her domestic career continued to flourish with a move to Manchester City in 2013, where she secured multiple titles, including the Barclays WSL in 2016 and two League Cups. She became the first female player to receive Manchester City’s Goal of the Season award in August 2015.

Duggan’s international club career began in 2017 when she transferred to FC Barcelona Femení, making her the first English female footballer to play for the club in 31 years. She spent two seasons in Spain, reaching the 2019 UEFA Women’s Champions League Final with Barcelona and later winning the Supercopa de España Femenina with Atlético Madrid in 2021. Throughout her career, Duggan was a significant presence for the England national team, representing the Lionesses at various youth levels before earning 79 caps and scoring 22 goals for the senior team. She played a key role in England’s third-place finish at the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, a tournament credited with increasing the sport’s visibility. She also participated in the 2017 UEFA Women’s EUROs and the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, reaching the semi-finals in both.

After her time in Spain, Duggan returned to Everton in 2021. In September 2022, she announced her pregnancy, becoming the first England player in the Women’s Super League to take maternity leave. She gave birth to her daughter Luella in March 2023 and returned to competitive action in October 2023. Her final professional appearance came in March 2024 for Everton against Manchester City. Duggan officially announced her retirement from professional football in September 2024, concluding a career marked by numerous achievements and a significant contribution to raising the profile of women’s football.