Captain of the Irish national team since the age of 21, Arsenal’s Katie McCabe has the honour of leading her team out at their first major championship at the 2023 Women’s World Cup. The versatile left-sided player has been ever-present for her club and country in recent years and will be the fulcrum of Ireland’s bid to pull off an almighty shock this summer.
Born in Kilnamanagh, southern Dublin, and one of ten siblings, McCabe began her footballing journey playing in boys’ youth teams for Kilnamanagh and Crumlin before joining her first all-girls team at aged ten.
At 16, she joined Raheny United as part of the newly-formed Women’s National League in Ireland, hitting the ground running with two league titles and three cup victories in her first three years.
Having seen a football scholarship to Florida State University break down after a devastating leg break, the full-back continued to ply her trade in the Irish league for a further two seasons all while living at home with her parents and working during the week at Nandos.
In 2015, McCabe would get her big move, turning down a host of other offers to join Arsenal in the Women’s Super League. After struggling in her first year, McCabe spent a year on loan in Scotland but returned to the north London side the following season, becoming a vital cog in the side as the team won the WSL title.
In total, she has played 119 times for the club, scoring 19 times. In the 2022/23 season, McCabe enjoyed one of her best years at the club, capturing the Player of the Season award, a place in the Champions League team of the season, and team silverware with victory in the Conti Cup.
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McCabe has 75 caps for her country, scoring 19 times. Having made her debut back in 2015, she was named captain by former head coach, Colin Bell in 2017 becoming the youngest in the team’s history.
