Jessie Stapleton

Jessica Stapleton (born 7 February 2005) is an Irish footballer who plays as a defender or midfielder for West Ham United in the Women's Super League and the Republic of Ireland national team.

Jessie Stapleton
Stapleton playing for West Ham in 2023
Personal information
Full name Jessica Stapleton[1]
Date of birth (2005-02-07) 7 February 2005
Place of birth Dublin, Ireland
Position(s) Defender / Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 West Ham United
Number 24
Youth career
2013–2018 Cherry Orchard
2019 Peamount United
2020 Shamrock Rovers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021–2023 Shelbourne
International career‡
2022– Republic of Ireland 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:22, 26 June 2022 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 17:22, 26 June 2022 (UTC)

Club career

Early career

Stapleton is from Ballyfermot, and began playing soccer for Cherry Orchard when she was eight years old.[2] When she was 11 she became the first girl to be selected for the representative team of the Dublin and District Schoolboys League (DDSL).[3] In 2020 Stapleton played for Shamrock Rovers in the Women's Under-17 National League. After Stapleton captained Rovers to their 2–0 League final defeat by Cork City, she spoke out against sexist remarks made by internet trolls on the comment section of the live feed.[4][5]

Shelbourne

Stapleton joined Women's National League club Shelbourne for the 2021 season,[1] since Shamrock Rovers lacked a senior women's team. Manchester City had a longstanding interest in signing Stapleton, but regulations arising out of Brexit prevented British clubs from signing any Irish players until they turned 18 years old.[6]

She enjoyed good form in her debut season at senior level, featuring in defence and midfield for Noel King's Shelbourne.[7] Stapleton sometimes played in attack, helping King plug gaps in the Shelbourne team caused by injuries and the departure of several players to professional clubs in the United Kingdom.[8] She was named WNL Player of the Month for October 2021,[9] nominated for Young Player of the Year and named in the Team of the Season.[10] Shelbourne overhauled Peamount United on a dramatic final day to win the 2021 Women's National League title.[11] Stapleton also played in the 2021 FAI Women's Cup Final, but Shelbourne were beaten 3–1 by Wexford Youths.[12]

In 2022 Stapleton continued to play well as Shelbourne claimed a League and Cup "double". She was named Young Player of the Year and retained her place in the Team of the Season.[13] In the 2022 FAI Women's Cup Final Stapleton scored the opening goal and was Player of the Match as Shelbourne beat Athlone Town 2–0 to avenge their defeat in the previous year's final.[14] In November 2022 she was reported to have made an agreement to join West Ham United in June 2023, in preference to several other interested clubs.[15]

International career

Youth

Stapleton represented Ireland at schoolgirl level while she attended Pobalscoil Iosolde.[16] On her full debut for the national under-15 schoolgirl team on 17 February 2018, she scored a goal and was player of the match in a 2–1 win over Northern Ireland.[4]

She progressed to the Republic of Ireland women's national under-17 football team and debuted against Iceland in February 2020.[17] By 2021 Stapleton was playing for Dave Connell's Republic of Ireland women's national under-19 football team. She made six appearances throughout the year, scoring one goal.[18] At the FAI International Football Awards she was named 2022 Under-19 Women's International Player of the Year.[19]

Senior

Senior Republic of Ireland coach Colin Bell called 13-year-old Stapleton into a training camp for home-based national team players in August 2018.[2][20] She was called up to the senior Republic of Ireland squad for the first time in November 2021, for 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification – UEFA Group A fixtures against Slovakia and Georgia.[21][22]

Stapleton won her first senior cap on 19 June 2022, as a half-time substitute in a 1–0 friendly win over the Philippines in Antalya, Turkey.[23] Although she had been playing in midfield for her club, national team coach Vera Pauw saw Stapleton as a central defender.[24]

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps
Republic of Ireland 2022 1
Total1

References
  1. "Jessie Stapleton signs for Shels". Shelbourne F.C. 5 January 2021. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  2. Duffy, Emma (3 August 2018). "'A huge career ahead of her' - 13-year-old sensation called into Ireland training camp". The42.ie. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  3. Treacy, Ciara (22 March 2016). "'Hard as nails' Jesse (11) is first girl to represent lauded school-BOY league". Irish Independent. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  4. Fennessy, Paul (8 January 2021). "'Ignoring it wasn't the answer' – The Irish teen footballer who exposed disgraceful online abuse". The42.ie. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  5. Fitzmaurice, Aidan (30 January 2021). "'I think those lads don't realise that when you put something on the internet, it stays there'". Irish Independent. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  6. Fallon, John (2 October 2021). "Jessie Stapleton: Why taking a stand against online abuse works". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  7. "Shels' 16-year-old Jessie Stapleton is Player of the Month". RTÉ Sport. 5 November 2021. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  8. Donnelly, Dave (16 November 2021). "Shelbourne captain Pearl Slattery: 'I'll never experience a day like that in football again'". Dublin Live. Reach plc. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  9. Duffy, Emma (5 November 2021). "Shels' 16-year-old sensation named Player of the Month for October". The42.ie. TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 27 November 2021.
  10. Healy, Martin (1 December 2021). "Wexford Youth's Kylie Murphy claims Player of the Year prize at SSE Airtricity Women's National League Awards". Extra.ie. DMG Media. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  11. O'Mahony, Paul (7 December 2021). "Women's National League: "These are exciting times for women's football in Ireland. The time to jump on board is now…."". Hot Press. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
  12. Cummiskey, Gavin (21 November 2021). "Edel Kennedy's stunner seals FAI Cup for Wexford and denies Shels a double". The Irish Times. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  13. "Double delight for Athlone at WNL awards". RTÉ Sport. 24 November 2022. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  14. O'Connor, Seán (7 November 2022). "Shelbourne manager Noel King praises Shelbourne's 'future internationals' after Reds earn redemption". Irish Independent. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
  15. O'Connor, Seán (25 November 2022). "In demand Shels award-winner Jessie Stapleton set for move to West Ham". Irish Independent. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  16. "Jessie Stampleton (sic)". FAI Schools. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  17. "Ireland WU17: Friendly games set for Waterford". Football Association of Ireland. 5 February 2020. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  18. "WU19 | Review of 2021". Football Association of Ireland. 29 December 2021. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  19. "32nd FAI International Award Winners announced". Football Association of Ireland. 30 November 2022. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
  20. Slattery, Will (2 August 2018). "'I thought it might have been a wind-up' - 13-year-old sensation gets call-up to Ireland tactical training camp". Irish Independent. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  21. "Jessie Stapleton, 16, gets first call-up to Vera Pauw's Ireland women's team". Irish Independent. 22 November 2021. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  22. "Shelbourne's 16-year-old Jessie Stapleton earns Ireland call-up". Irish Times. 22 November 2021. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  23. "Agg marks her Irish debut with winner in tough battle". Irish Independent. 19 June 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  24. Scully, Michael (3 November 2022). "'I'll play in goal if Vera wants me to' - Jessie Stapleton reveals World Cup goal". Daily Mail. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
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