Danella Butrus

Danella Khalid Butrus (born 13 February 2007) is a soccer player who plays as a midfielder for A-League Women club Melbourne City. Born in Iraq, she plays for the Australia under-20 national team. She is regarded as a rising star in Australian women's soccer.

Early life Butrus was born in the city of Duhok in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq on 13 February 2007, in an Assyrian family. She fled Iraq with her family due to regional armed conflict, first settling in Syria and then continuing to Australia in 2013. She arrived in Australia with limited knowledge of the English language and learnt English as a second language at school. She played soccer as a forward for Roxburgh Park United, in the Victorian State League (Division 5 North) during her youth years ,

Club career

FV Emerging Butrus began her senior career at National Premier Leagues Victoria Women club (NPL Victoria Women) FV Emerging in 2023.

Butrus secured a move to Bulleen Lions following a standout season at FV Emerging in 2024, in which she made 29 appearances and scored eight goals.

Bulleen Lions Staying in the National Premier Leagues Victoria Women (NPL Victoria Women) Butrus signed for Bulleen Lions ahead of the 2025 season. On 30 August, she scored her first hat-trick of her career, scoring three goals in an 8–0 win over Brunswick Juventus in round 22. She debuted for Melbourne City in the opening round of the season on 1 November 2025, coming on as a substitute in the 87th minute of a 2–2 draw away to Sydney FC. On 14 November 2025, Butrus scored her first professional goal, having scored from a tight angle in a 5–0 win over Singaporean Women's Premier League (SWPL) side Lion City Sailors in the group stage of the AFC Women's Champions League (AWCL), before scoring again in Melbourne City's 7–0 win over PFF Women's League side Stallion Laguna.

In December 2025, following standout performances in her first five games at the club, Butrus extended her contract with Melbourne City through to 2027.

Butrus was named for the Young Matildas in Alex Epakis' squad for a two-game friendly series against South Korea at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in Canberra on 28 and 30 November 2025. However, she withdrew from the squad alongside Western Sydney Wanderers midfielder Talia Younis due to both having injuries.

Butrus was selected by Epakis as part of Australia's 23-player squad for the 2026 AFC U-20 Women's Asian Cup in Thailand.

Personal life Butrus is of Assyrian descent and is a Syriac Christian.