Elise Kellond-Knight

Elise Kellond-Knight (born 10 August 1990) is an Australian former soccer player, who played as a defensive midfielder or defender. From 2007 to 2023 she played 115 games for Australia women's national soccer team, before retiring from international football in 2024. Kellond-Knight is a left footed set piece specialist.

Early life Kellond-Knight was born on 10 August 1990, and raised on the Gold Coast where she attended Coombabah State School (primary) and then St Hilda's School (secondary). She played junior football for Runaway Bay in the local Gold Coast competition. Kellond-Knight graduated from Griffith University with a Master of Business Administration in December 2023, after previously completing a Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Science at the same university.

Club career

At the annual Westfield W-League awards dinner in 2009, Kellond-Knight was jointly awarded the Young Player of the Year Award with Canberra United's Ellyse Perry.

After leaving 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam at the end of 2017, Kellond-Knight was hoping to join the Reign FC in the NWSL, however a discovery claim by the North Carolina Courage prevented her from joining the Reign. In April 2018, she signed a short-term deal with Hammarby in the Damallsvenskan. In June she extended her contract through the end of the season.

Kellond-Knight signed with Melbourne City for the 2018–19 W-League season. Reign FC announced on September 24, 2018, that Kellond-Knight had signed with them for the 2019 NWSL season.

On July 15, 2019, Kellond-Knight was traded to Washington Spirit in exchange for Sammy Jo Prudhomme. On October 26, 2019, Kellond-Knight returned to Brisbane Roar. In July 2020 the footballer ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which took over two years of recovery. She rejoined Hammarby in August 2022. An Achilles tendon injury during training resulted in her missing the 2023 season. A fortnight later, she announced her retirement from professional football.

International career For Kellond-Knight's performances at the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup and 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, she was named as part of the All Star Team for both tournaments.

During a match against Brazil at the 2016 Summer Olympics, a moment of Kellond-Knight and her teammate Lisa De Vanna went viral when during a short break, De Vanna absent-mindedly tried to drink from the wrong end of a water bottle, prompting Kellond-Knight to quickly flip it in her hand.

On 9 October 2018, Kellond-Knight earned her 100th cap for Australia in a friendly against England, which ended in a 1–1 draw.

At the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, she scored a goal directly from a corner kick in the Round of 16 match against Norway.

Kellond-Knight was included in the squad for the 2020 Summer Olympics. The Matildas advanced to the quarter-finals with one victory and one draw during group play. In the quarter-finals they beat Great Britain 4–3 after extra time. However, they lost 1–0 to Sweden in the semi-final and were then beaten 4–3 in the bronze medal match by the United States. After her ACL injury, she returned to the Matildas squad in December 2022. Due to an Achilles injury, the defensive midfielder was unavailable for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup held in Australia and New Zealand during July–August.

Career statistics

International goals

Goal Date Location Opponent Score Result Competition 1. 22 May 2014 Thống Nhất Stadium, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 2014 AFC Women's Asian Cup 2. 22 June 2019 Allianz Riviera, Nice, France 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup

Honours

Club Brisbane Roar W-League Championship: 2008–09, 2010–11 W-League Premiership: 2008–09

International Australia AFC Women's Asian Cup: 2010 AFF Women's Championship: 2008 AFC Olympic Qualifying Tournament: 2016 Tournament of Nations: 2017 FFA Cup of Nations: 2019

Individual W-League Young Player of the Year: 2009 FIFA Women's World Cup All-Star Team: 2011, 2015 FFA Female Footballer of the Year: 2011