Kelly Smith

Kelly Smith is considered to be the greatest ever female footballer, best known for her time playing with the Arsenal Ladies. With an impressive tally of 177 caps and 46 goals, Kelly holds records that are unlikely to be beaten. In her youth, Kelly attended Seton Hall University in America, where she began her footballing career playing for Seton Hall Pirates. Such experiences have solidified her popularity for speaking at and hosting events, sharing anecdotes from her time in professional football and encouraging others to pursue careers in professional sport. 

After finishing her university studies, Kelly joined the New Jersey Lady Stallions as her first professional team. In the early 2000s, Kelly left New Jersey Lady Stallions to join a new top-flight women’s league, the Women’s United Soccer Association. In this league she played for Philadelphia Charge, being named in the 2001 WUSA Global 11 All-Star team. After the 2003 season, Kelly moved to play for New Jersey Wildcats but unfortunately broke her leg and was only able to play in eight games for the club. In 2004, Kelly moved back to the UK and began playing for Arsenal, leaving quite the mark on the team, having played in 66 Premier League games, 16 FA Cup games, 10 League Cup games, 18 UEFA Women’s Cup games and two Community Shield games. By the end of her time with the team, she had scored 100 goals, and in her last match for the team, she scored a hat-trick that saw Arsenal win in the FA Women’s Premier League Cup. She was awarded FA Women’s Players Player of the Year in both 2006 and 2007.

After leaving Arsenal, Kelly joined another American team this time playing for the Boston Breakers. Alongside playing for American teams and Arsenal, Kelly also earned a number of caps for the English national team. In 2010, after scoring her 41st international goal, Kelly became England’s all-time record goalscorer. In 2008 she was appointed MBE and she was also a member of the London 2012 Olympic Games Team GB football squad. Since her retirement from playing, Kelly has focussed her interests on commentary- joining FOX Sports in 2014 and providing commentary for top games such as the 2018 FIFA World Cup. She has also launched the 'Energy Fit for the Future' campaign alongside Mr Motivator, Nicola Adams and Greg Rutherford, a marketing initiative to encourage smart meter usage and is a Barclays FAWSL Ambassador. 

With such a credible career as a footballer to her name, Kelly is now a favourite for speaking engagements, regularly booked as an after-dinner speaker or events host. An expert on peak performance, mental resilience, teamwork and performing under pressure, Kelly shares her top tips for success and encourages others to participate in competitive sports. Passionate about transferring her skills to others, Kelly provides training and educational speeches that are both motivational and influential. When looking for a football or sports speaker who will inspire the next generation of budding footballers, look no further than the inspirational Kelly Smith.