Emma Mukandi

Emma Mukandi (née Mitchell; born 19 September 1992) is a Scottish professional footballer currently plays for FA WC club London City Lionesses. She began her senior career with Glasgow City then joined German Frauen-Bundesliga club SGS Essen. Primarily a defender, Mukandi has also played as a forward.[3] Mukandi also plays for the Scotland women's national football team.

Emma Mukandi
Emma Mukandi in 2014
Personal information
Birth name Emma Mitchell
Date of birth (1992-09-19) 19 September 1992
Place of birth Kirkcaldy, Scotland
Height 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)[1]
Position(s) Left-back
Team information
Current team
 London City Lionesses
Number 3
Youth career
St. Johnstone Girls
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2012 Glasgow City 35 (38)
2013 SGS Essen 11 (1)
2013–2020 Arsenal 74 (3)
2020 → Tottenham Hotspur (loan) 4 (2)
2020–2023 Reading 35 (0)
2023- London City Lionesses 0 (0)
International career‡
2007–2008 Scotland U17 9 (2)
2009–2011 Scotland U19 22 (3)
2011– Scotland[2] 72 (7)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 30 May 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 15:54, 16 April 2023 (UTC)

Club career

Born in Kirkcaldy, she grew up in the town of Buckhaven, Fife. Mukandi went on to become the only girl to play for her local high school team at the age of twelve.[4] She started her career with St Johnstone Girls, alongside fellow future Frauen-Bundesliga player Lisa Evans, before both girls joined Scottish Women's Premier League champions Glasgow City in August 2008.[3][5]

At the end of the 2012 season, Mukandi had a trial period in Denmark with earlier Champions League opponents Fortuna Hjørring, before heading for further trials in Sweden and Germany.[6][7][8]

Mukandi signed professionally for Frauen-Bundesliga side SGS Essen in January 2013.[9] After just four months, reports in Germany linked Mukandi with a transfer to English champions Arsenal.[10] Arsenal confirmed the move on 22 July 2013.[11]

Emma Mukandi with Arsenal

Whilst at Arsenal, Mukandi won an FA Cup in 2014 with WSL Cups coming in 2013 and 2015. With the Gunners, she also went on a successful run to the FA Cup final of 2016. Arsenal beat Chelsea 1–0 at Wembley and Mukandi lifted the 2016 FA Cup.[12]

On 3 January 2020, it was announced that Mukandi would be joining Tottenham Hotspur on loan for the rest of the season.[13]

Reading

On 15 July 2020, Reading announced the signing of Mukandi from Arsenal.[14] On 20 July 2022, Reading announced that Mukandi had returned to the club and signed a one-year contract, following the birth of her daughter.[15] On 7 September 2022, Reading announced that Mukandi was their new club captain.[16] Following the clubs relegation from the Women's Super League to the Women's Championship, Mukandi announced that she would be leaving Reading.[17]

International career

After captaining both the national Under-17 and Under-19 teams, Mukandi made her debut with the senior Scottish national team against France in May 2011. Despite conceding a penalty in Scotland's 1–1 draw, her contribution was praised by coach Anna Signeul: "Emma Mitchell did really well on her first appearance. It is a shame that she conceded the penalty, it was just a bit of inexperience to be honest, but she didn't let her head go down and kept working hard."[18]

Mukandi attended the Scottish Football Association National Performance Centre at the University of Stirling.[19] She scored her first goal for the Senior women's side against Iceland in August 2012 and later that year scored against Spain in a 2013 UEFA Women's Euro Play-off defeat.

She was ruled out of the Scotland squad for UEFA Women's Euro 2017 by a hamstring injury.[20] After injury disrupted her appearances for Arsenal in the 2018–19 season, she was left out of the squad for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France.[21]

Mukandi was recalled to the Scotland squad in August 2022, as she resumed her playing career after giving birth in November 2021.[22]

Personal life

In October 2019, Mukandi spoke about her struggles with her mental health issues.[23]

Mukandi was left out of the Scotland international squad in June 2021 as she had recently become pregnant.[24] On 28 November 2021, she gave birth to a baby girl.[25]

In August 2022, she married Head of Strength & Conditioning at Ipswich Town, Ivan Mukandi.[26]

Career statistics

Club
As of match played 27 May 2023[1]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Arsenal 2013 FA Women's Super League 802040-80
2014 1303020-130
2015 11030--110
2016 12020--120
2017 000000--00
2017–18 17163--234
2018–19 1111031--152
2019–20 21003130-82
Total 7431022590--1068
Tottenham Hotspur (loan) 2019–20 FA Women's Super League 422000--62
Reading 2020–21 FA Women's Super League 1400030--170
2021–22 000000--00
2022–23 2103120--261
Total 3503150----431
Career total 11356127590--15511

    International appearances
    As of the match played on 11 April 2023[2]
    National teamYearAppsGoals
    Scotland 201120
    2012123
    2013112
    2014120
    201551
    201651
    201750
    201870
    201910
    202050
    202110
    202230
    202330
    Total727

    International goals
    As of match played 10 March 2020. Scotland score listed first, score column indicates score after each of her goals.[2]
    International goals by date, venue, opponent, score, result and competition
    No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
    1 4 August 2012Cappielow, Greenock, Scotland Iceland1–11–1Friendly
    2 30 August 2012East End Park, Dunfermline, Scotland Norway1–02–2Friendly
    3 24 October 2012La Ciudad del Fútbol, Las Rozas de Madrid, Spain Spain1–02–3Women's Euro 2013 qual.
    4 8 March 2013GSZ Stadium, Larnaca, Cyprus England4–44–42013 Cyprus Women's Cup
    5 7 April 2013East End Park, Dunfermline, Scotland Wales2–12–1Friendly
    6 6 March 2015GSZ Stadium, Larnaca, Cyprus Italy1–22–32015 Cyprus Women's Cup
    7 8 March 2016Falkirk Stadium, Falkirk, Scotland Spain1–01–1Friendly

    Honours

    Club

    Glasgow City[27]

    Arsenal[12][27]

    Individual

    References
    1. Emma Mukandi at Soccerway
    2. Emma Mukandi at the Scottish Football Association
    3. "Emma Mitchell leaves City to sign professional contract with SGS Essen". Glasgow City FC. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
    4. Karen Bale (4 December 2004). "She shoots she scores; Emma's four goals in first game for boys". Daily Record. Archived from the original on 13 April 2016. Retrieved 21 January 2013.
    5. "Scotland name under-17 squad". Women's Soccer Scene. 14 September 2007. Archived from the original on 22 October 2020. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
    6. Claus Dindler (22 November 2012). "Skrappe skotter til prøvetræning" [Tough Scots for trial] (in Danish). Fortuna Hjørring. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 28 November 2012.
    7. Sofie Gustafsson (4 December 2012). "Landslagstrio på jakt efter drömkontrakt" [Team trio in search of dream contract]. Värmlands Folkblad (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 14 December 2013. Retrieved 5 December 2012.
    8. Kristina Steffens (11 January 2013). "Högner schwärmt von Mitchell" [Högner raves about Mitchell] (in German). Revier Sport. Retrieved 12 January 2013.
    9. Markus Juchem (20 January 2013). "SGS Essen verpflichtet Emma Mitchell" [SGS Essen sign Emma Mitchell] (in German). Womensoccer.de. Archived from the original on 25 July 2014. Retrieved 21 January 2013.
    10. Steffens, Kristina (15 May 2013). "Arsenal jagt Emma Mitchell" [Arsenal chase Emma Mitchell] (in German). RevierSport Online. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
    11. "Arsenal Ladies confirm double signing". Arsenal.com. Arsenal F.C. 22 July 2013. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
    12. "Arsenal Ladies 1–0 Chelsea Ladies". Arsenal.
    13. "Emma Mitchell joins Tottenham on loan".
    14. "Mitchell makes move from Gunners to Reading Women' side". readingfc.co.uk/. Reading F.C. 15 July 2020. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
    15. "EMMA MITCHELL RE-SIGNS AS A ROYAL". readingfc.co.uk. Reading FC. 20 July 2022. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
    16. "READING FC WOMEN CAPTAIN CONFIRMED". readingfc.co.uk. Reading F.C. 7 September 2022. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
    17. "Difficult end to a difficult season for us, we are all hurting to have been relegated from the WSL". instagram.com/emsmitch3. Emma Mukandi Instagram. 29 May 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
    18. "Local player makes Scotland debut against France". Scottish Football Association. 11 May 2011. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
    19. "Emma Mitchell". University of Stirling. Archived from the original on 23 December 2012. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
    20. Dunn, Carrie (14 July 2017). "UEFA Women's EURO 2017 – England are on the up, Scotland achievements are remarkable". Eurosport. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
    21. Wrack, Suzanne (15 May 2019). "Women's World Cup: Arsenal's Emma Mitchell left out of Scotland squad". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
    22. "New mother Emma Mitchell in Scotland squad 'how it should be', says coach". BBC Sport. 23 August 2022. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
    23. "Emma Mitchell: Arsenal defender opens up on mental health". 9 October 2019 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
    24. "McLaren names four fresh faces for SWNT's June friendlies". Scottish FA. 31 May 2021. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
    25. "Huge congratulations to @emsmitch3 and her family on the arrival of their beautiful baby girl, Innes Mukandi". twitter.com/ReadingFCWomen/. Reading FC Women Twitter. 28 November 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
    26. "MR & MRS MUKANDI". twitter.com/emsmitch3/. Emma Mitchell Twitter. 23 August 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
    27. "Emma Mitchell". Soccerway.com.
    28. "WSL Team of the Year: Lucy Bronze is sole Liverpool player". BBC Sport. 26 April 2015. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
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