Steph Houghton

Club career

Houghton began her career playing for five years at Sunderland. She helped Sunderland to win promotion from the Northern Division in the 2005–06 season and then won the FA Young Player of the Year Award in the 2006–07 season. After Sunderland were relegated that season, Houghton became a target for Arsenal and Everton. After helping Leeds win the 2010 FA Women's Premier League Cup, Houghton signed for Arsenal in August of that year.

On 5 December 2013, it was announced that Houghton had signed an agreement to leave Arsenal for new WSL side Manchester City on 1 January 2014. Houghton signed a two-year contract extension with City on 24 January 2020.

On 27 March 2024, Houghton announced that she would retire from football at the end of the 2023–24 season. She played her final game on 18 May, coming on for Alex Greenwood and taking the captain's armband in the 66th minute of a 2–1 away league win over Aston Villa.

International career England

Houghton was involved with England at U16 schools, U19, U20, U21 and U23 level. She was called into the full squad for a match against Germany on 25 October 2006, when Katie Chapman withdrew with an illness. She was an unused substitute in the 5–1 defeat in Aalen. She made her debut in the next match, replacing Emily Westwood after 73 minutes of a 6–0 win over Russia in Milton Keynes on 8 March 2007. Her first start came three days later, in a 1–0 win over Scotland at Adams Park. She missed the 2007 World Cup with a broken leg and Euro 2009 with a damaged cruciate ligament.

In May 2009, Houghton was one of the first 17 female players to be given central contracts by The Football Association. She played in all three games at UEFA Women's Euro 2013 as England finished in last place; she described the result as "a massive disappointment personally and collectively as a squad." In January 2014, she was named the new captain for England's team under coach Mark Sampson, beginning on a 1–1 draw with Norway.

For the 2015 World Cup in Canada, Houghton was again named England's team captain. Houghton scored her first World Cup goal against Norway in the round of 16, and was chosen Player of the Match during the quarterfinals with Canada, which qualified England for their first semi-finals ever.

Houghton earned her 100th England cap on 11 November 2018 against Sweden at New York Stadium in Rotherham, South Yorkshire. In May 2019, it was announced that Houghton had been selected for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France. She scored a goal in the Round of 16 match against Cameroon.

Houghton was allotted 164 when the FA announced their legacy numbers scheme to honour the 50th anniversary of England's inaugural international.

Great Britain Houghton was called up to the first Great Britain women's side for the 2012 Summer Olympics as a defender. She became the team's record goalscorer from the left–back position, scoring in all three group games to help Great Britain to win the group with a 100% record, as well as making important challenges to help ensure the side progressed without conceding a goal. Houghton was also named left back of the tournament due to her outstanding performance during the games.

She represented Great Britain again at the 2020 Summer Olympics, featuring three times during the tournament.

In popular culture In October 2014, Houghton was the first female player to appear on the cover of Shoot magazine. In the summer of 2024, she joined BBC Sport as an analyst for the new football season appearing on 5Live and Football Focus.

Personal life Houghton is from South Hetton, a former mining town in County Durham. She is a lifelong fan of Sunderland AFC.

She is married to former Bradford City defender Stephen Darby. They married on 21 June 2018. On 18 September 2018, Darby announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 29 after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease.

In 2021, Houghton discussed the pronunciation of her surname on a podcast. Throughout her career, it had been mainly pronounced by commentators as , while residents of the North East had typically assumed it was the same as the town name Houghton-le-Spring: , which incidentally is less than five miles from her home town of South Hetton.

In March 2023, while receiving the Freedom of the City of Sunderland; at the ceremony, the Sunderland Echo asked her about this again and subsequently reported that it "has irritated [her] for years", as she pronounces it as the same way as the town.

International Statistics accurate as of match played 27 July 2021.

For England

Scores and results list England's goal tally first. Goal Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition 1. 5 March 2009 GSZ Stadium, Larnaca, Cyprus 4–0 6–0 2009 Cyprus Cup 2. 22 September 2011 County Ground, Swindon, England 3–0 4–0 Euro 2013 qualifying 3. 31 March 2012 Sajmište, Vrbovec, Croatia 5–0 6–0 4. 6–0 5. 20 October 2012 Stade Sébastien Charléty, Paris, France 1–0 2–2 Friendly 6. 6 March 2013 GSP Stadium, Nicosia, Cyprus 2–2 4–2 2013 Cyprus Cup 7. 14 June 2014 Traktar Stadium, Minsk, Belarus 2–0 3–0 2015 World Cup qualifying 8. 22 June 2015 Lansdowne Stadium, Ottawa, Canada 1–1 2–1 2015 World Cup 9. 25 October 2016 Estadio Pedro Escartín, Guadalajara, Spain 2–0 2–1 Friendly 10. 24 November 2017 Bescot Stadium, Walsall, England 1–0 4–0 2019 World Cup qualifying 11. 3–0 12. 2 March 2019 Nissan Stadium, Nashville, United States 1–1 2–2 2019 SheBelieves Cup 13. 23 June 2019 Stade du Hainaut, Valenciennes, France 1–0 3–0 2019 World Cup

For Great Britain Scores and results list Great Britain's goal tally first. Date Venue Opponent Result Competition 1 25 July 2012 Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales 1–0 2012 Summer Olympics 2 28 July 2012 3–0 3 31 July 2012 Wembley Stadium, London, England 1–0

Honours

Leeds Carnegie FA WSL: 2011, 2012 FA Women's Cup: 2010–11, 2012–13 FA WSL Cup: 2011, 2012, 2013

Manchester City FIFA Women's World Cup third place: 2015 Cyprus Cup: 2009, 2013, 2015; runner-up: 2014 SheBelieves Cup: 2019 Individual English Football Hall of Fame: 2024 Women's Super League Hall of Fame: 2024