Rosella Ayane Explained

Rosella Ayane
Birth Date:16 March 1996
Birth Place:Reading, England
Height:1.80 m
Position:Forward
Currentclub:Tottenham Hotspur
Clubnumber:23
Youthclubs1:Reading
Youthclubs2:Chelsea
Years1:2013–2016
Clubs1:Chelsea
Caps1:6
Goals1:1
Years2:2015
Clubs2:Millwall (loan)
Years3:2016
Clubs3:Bristol City (loan)
Caps3:8
Goals3:3
Years4:2016
Clubs4:Everton (loan)
Caps4:12
Goals4:1
Years5:2017–2018
Clubs5:Apollon Limassol
Caps5:15
Goals5:14
Years6:2018–2019
Clubs6:Bristol City
Caps6:15
Goals6:1
Years7:2019–
Clubs7:Tottenham Hotspur
Caps7:73
Goals7:3
Nationalyears1:2011–2012
Nationalteam1:England U17
Nationalcaps1:7
Nationalgoals1:1
Nationalyears2:2014–2015
Nationalteam2:England U19
Nationalcaps2:10
Nationalgoals2:2
Nationalyears3:2021–
Nationalteam3:Morocco
Nationalcaps3:30
Nationalgoals3:10
Club-Update:19:48, 16 December 2023 (UTC)
Nationalteam-Update:10:04, 21 November 2023 (UTC)

Rosella Ayane (Arabic: روزيلا أيان, born 16 March 1996) is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for Women's Super League club Tottenham Hotspur and the Morocco national team. Internationally, Ayane represented England at under-17 and under-19 level before being capped at senior level by Morocco.[1] [2]

Early life

Born in Reading to a Moroccan father and a Scottish mother,[3] Ayane attended Maiden Erlegh School.[4]

Club career

Chelsea

Ayane started her career with Chelsea after coming through the club's Centre of Excellence. She began in the youth system, in 2012 she was a part of the Chelsea U17 that won the league and cup double.[2] She made her first-team debut in August 2013 against Doncaster Rovers Belles; Chelsea won.[1] Three more appearances followed against Everton, Bristol City and Notts County before Ayane was selected as part of Chelsea's squad for the 2013 International Women's Club Championship, she played twice as Chelsea finished second.[1] [2] On 30 August, Ayane scored four goals against London Bees in the FA WSL Cup in an 8–0 victory.[5]

Loan spells

After making four appearances in all competitions for Chelsea in 2014, Ayane was loaned out in 2015 to Millwall; a team she scored twice against for Chelsea in 2015 in the FA WSL Cup.[1] [6] After a few months with Millwall, she returned to her parent club. 2016 saw a loan move to Bristol City, with whom she made nine appearances and scored three goals in all competitions before returning to Chelsea after Bristol manager Willie Kirk decided against extending her loan.[7] [8] A few weeks after leaving Bristol, she was loaned out as Everton became her fourth career club.[9] She scored her first Everton goal on 17 July in a 3–0 win over Yeovil Town.[10]

Apollon Limassol

In August 2017, Ayane joined Cypriot First Division side Apollon Limassol.[1] [11] She scored on her debut for the club, getting the opening goal in a 4–0 home win in the first match of Group 5 in the 2017–18 UEFA Champions League qualifying round against NSA Sofia.[12] On the second matchday, versus Noroc Nimoreni of Moldova, she scored a hat-trick in a 5–0 victory.[12] Ayane followed that up with a goal in the final qualifying group match against Sturm Graz to help advance Apollon into the knockout phase.[1] [12] She netted on her league debut for Apollon on 5 November, scoring the opening goal in a 16–0 win over Champions Ypsona.

In total, she scored nineteen goals in nineteen games in all competitions in her debut season.[1] In April 2018, she was voted into the Players' Team of the Season.[13]

Bristol City

On 18 August 2018, Ayane completed a move to rejoin former loan club Bristol City.[14] [15] One goal in eighteen appearances followed across 2018–19.[1]

Tottenham Hotspur

In July 2019, Ayane moved across the FA WSL to newly promoted Tottenham Hotspur.[16] [17] Her first appearance for Tottenham was against Everton as a substitute on 13 September 2020 and her first goal came in a game against Aston Villa on 13 December 2020.

In the 2023–24 FA Cup, after being down 2-0 to Sheffield United, Ayane came on as a substitute in the 66th minute.[18] Spurs drew level, and then Ayane scored the winning goal in the 96th minute.[19]

International career

Ayane has played for England at Under-17 and Under-19 level.[1] [20] Between 2011 and 2012 she won seven caps and scored one goal (vs. Finland, in a 2012 UEFA U17 Championship qualifier). In 2014, Ayane made her debut for the England U19s and scored the second goal in a 2–0 win.[1] A year later she scored her second goal for England U19s in a 2–2 draw against Norway in a 2015 UEFA U19 Championship qualifier, a match that was replayed in extraordinary circumstances after a refereeing error.[21] In total, Ayane made 17 appearances and scored 3 goals for the U17s and U19s respectively.[1]

Due to her Moroccan father, she was eligible to represent Morocco and made her debut in June 2021, scoring within a minute of entering the field in a 3–0 victory over Mali.[22] Previously, she almost chose Scotland, partly due to her mother's wish for her to become a member of the Scottish squad.

Ayane took part in the 2022 Women's Africa Cup of Nations held in Morocco. She started in all six matches and scored two goals, including one in the final. Morocco finished second as they were defeated 2–1 in the final against South Africa.[23]

Career statistics

Club

.[1] [24]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational CupLeague CupContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Chelsea2013Women's Super League4100002[25] 061
2014Women's Super League20002242
2015Women's Super League0000341[26] 044
2016Women's Super League0000000000
Total6100561020147
Bristol City (loan)2016Women's Super League 283100093
Everton (loan)2016Women's Super League 21210010131
Apollon Limassol2017–18First Division151400451919
Bristol City2018–19Women's Super League1510030181
Tottenham Hotspur2019–20Women's Super League1102041171
2020–21Women's Super League1913021242
2021–22Women's Super League1711043224
2022–23Women's Super League1912031242
2023–24Women's Super League700032102
Total733801689711
Career total12923902514552017042

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National TeamYearAppsGoals
Morocco202131
2022126
2023153
Total3010

Scores and results list Morocco's's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Ayane goal.

List of international goals scored by Rosella Ayane
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1Stade Moulay Hassan, Rabat, Morocco1–03–0Friendly[27]
2Hibernians Stadium, Paola, Malta2–04–02022 Malta International Women's Football Tournament[28]
3[29] Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat, Morocco3–06–1Friendly[30]
4Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat, Morocco1–02–0Friendly[31]
52–0
6Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat, Morocco1–03–12022 Women's Africa Cup of Nations[32]
7Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat, Morocco1–21–2[33]
8Arslan Zeki Demirci Sports Complex, Antalya, Turkey1–03–0Friendly[34]
9Arslan Zeki Demirci Sports Complex, Antalya, Turkey1–02–0Friendly[35]
1027 September 2023Stade Moulay Hassan, Rabat, Morocco2–62–6Friendly[36]

Honours

Chelsea

Morocco

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Rosella Ayane profile. 16 October 2016. Soccerway. 16 October 2016.
  2. News: Rosella Ayane profile. 16 October 2016. Chelsea L.F.C.. 16 October 2016.
  3. Web site: Reading born Rosella Ayane shines on Morocco debut.
  4. Web site: Reading born Rosella Ayane shines on Morocco debut . readingchronicle.co.uk/ . Reading Chronicle . 22 November 2022 . 21 June 2021.
  5. News: Ladies report: Chelsea 8 London Bees 0. 16 October 2016. Chelsea L.F.C.. 30 August 2015.
  6. News: Rosella Ayane: Millwall Lionesses sign Chelsea striker on loan. 16 October 2016. BBC Sport. 26 March 2015.
  7. News: Rosella Ayane joins the Vixens on loan from Chelsea Ladies. 16 October 2016. Bristol City W.F.C.. 18 February 2016.
  8. News: Rosella Ayane returns to Chelsea. 16 October 2016. Bristol City W.F.C.. 16 June 2016.
  9. News: Everton Ladies sign Chelsea's Rosella Ayane and Arsenal's Chloe Kelly. 16 October 2016. BBC Sport. 30 June 2016.
  10. News: Everton 3-0 Yeovil Town. 1 November 2016. Everton L.F.C.. 17 July 2016.
  11. News: Rosella Ayane το νέο απόκτημα. 23 August 2017. Apollon 1954. 13 August 2017.
  12. News: Rosella Ayane profile. 23 August 2017. UEFA. 23 August 2017.
  13. News: ΠΑ.Σ.Π: Βραβεύτηκαν οι κορυφαίοι σε γυναικείο και Β' κατηγορία. 3 May 2018. Politis. 19 April 2018.
  14. News: City women sign trio of forwards ahead of the new season. 19 August 2018. Bristol City W.F.C.. 18 August 2018.
  15. Web site: Rosella Ayane is back in the FA WSL after facing "tough challenges. 21 September 2018 .
  16. News: Introducing our Tottenham Hotspur Women players. 5 July 2019. Tottenham Hotspur. 5 July 2019.
  17. News: Tottenham Hotspur Women: Gemma Davison among seven new signings. 5 July 2019. BBC Sport. 5 July 2019.
  18. News: Tottenham Hotspur Women v Sheffield United Women . 2024-01-15 . BBC Sport . en-GB.
  19. News: Downey . Sophie . 2024-01-14 . Ayane completes Spurs comeback over Sheffield United in Women’s FA Cup . 2024-01-15 . The Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077.
  20. News: Rosella Ayane profile. 16 October 2016. UEFA. 16 October 2016.
  21. News: England women: Leah Williamson penalty books Euro spot. 16 October 2016. BBC Sport. 9 April 2015.
  22. News: Reading born Rosella Ayane shines on Morocco debut. Reading Chronicle. 21 June 2022.
  23. Web site: Football . CAF-Confedération Africaine du . CAFOnline.com . 2023-02-18 . CAFOnline.com . en.
  24. News: Rosella Ayane profile. 12 November 2017. Cyprus Football Association. 12 November 2017.
  25. Appearance(s) in the International Women's Club Championship
  26. Appearance(s) in the UEFA Women's Champions League
  27. Web site: Mazouz . Salah Eddine . Women's Football: Morocco Crushes Mali 3-0 . Morocco World News.
  28. Web site: Moldova a cedat în fața Marocului . Federația Moldovenească de Fotbal . ro.
  29. Web site: Match Report of Morocco vs Gambia - 2022-04-08 - FIFA Friendlies . globalsportsarchive.com.
  30. Web site: المنتخب الوطني النسوي يفوز على نظيره الجامبي بستة أهداف لهدف – FRMF . 2023-02-18 . ar.
  31. Web site: المنتخب الوطني النسوي يفوز على نظيره الغاني بهدفين لصفر – FRMF . 2023-02-18 . ar.
  32. Web site: Uganda vs. Morocco - 5 July 2022 - Soccerway . 2023-02-18 . my.soccerway.com.
  33. Web site: Morocco vs. South Africa - 23 July 2022 - Soccerway . 2023-02-18 . my.soccerway.com.
  34. Web site: المنتخب الوطني لكرة القدم النسوية يفوز على سلوفاكيا – FRMF . 2023-02-18 . ar.
  35. Web site: Bosnia & Herzegovina - Morocco 0:2 . www.flashscore.com.
  36. Web site: ZamFoot . 2023-09-26 . Morocco 2-6 Zambia as it happned – Hatrick each for Kundananji, Barbra Banda - ZamFoot . 2023-09-29 . en-US.