Eniola Aluko

Infobox Football biography


playername = Eniola Aluko
dateofbirth = Birth date and age|1987|2|21|mf=y
cityofbirth = Lagos
countryofbirth = Nigeria
position = Striker
currentclub = Chelsea
clubnumber = TBA
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 2001-2003
2003-2007
2007-
clubs = Birmingham Ladies
Charlton Athletic
Chelsea L.F.C.
caps(goals) =
nationalyears = 2004-"present"
nationalteam = England
nationalcaps(goals) = 26 (4)
pcupdate = 16:44, 17 May 2007 (UTC)
ntupdate = 16:44, 22 September 2007 (UTC)

Eniola Aluko (born February 21 1987) is a footballer, currently playing for Chelsea Ladies.

She started her career at Birmingham City Ladies alongside future England team-mate, Karen Carney. She scored on her Birmingham team debut against Leeds United, aged just 14.

Eniola was named Young Player of the Year at the Women’s FA Awards in 2003 and since then has grown into a young striker of huge promise.

Having come up through the ranks of the U19s and U21s, Eniola is now impressing at senior level. Her first appearance for the Senior team came at the age of 17 against Holland in 2004 with England winning 2-1.

Her pace has been utilised mainly from the bench in the last year and this attribute was at the fore when she sprinted onto a through ball from Emma Coss to score the winning goal in the 2005 FA Women’s Cup Final at Upton Park.

One of the most exciting young players in the women's game, Eniola has great pace and technical ability and has grown in stature, bringing an increased confidence and maturity to her game. She added to this her first England goal against the Czech Republic at Walsall in May 2005, and added two more in the 13-0 away win against Hungary in October.

Eniola added to her growing reputation by scoring twice in Charlton's 2-1 victory over Arsenal in the 2006 FA Nationwide Women's Premier League Cup Final.

While playing for England during Women's Euro 2005, Eni took for her A levels at St Mary's College, Blackburn, Lancashire. She subsequently went to study Law at Brunnel University, where she graduated with a First Class degree in 2008 [http://www.fgmag.com/news/index.php?&newsmode=FULL&nid=5255] Her younger brother Sone is also an England U19 international, and is signed with Aberdeen FC in Scotland.Due to the dissoultion of the Charlton ladies team Aluko joined Chelsea ladies in July 2007.

In October, 2008 her Woman's Professional Soccer playing rights were obtained by St. Louis who named her as a post-draft discovery player.

External links

* [http://www.thefa.com/Womens/EnglandSenior/PlayersAndCoaches/Postings/2005/05/EniolaAluko_profile.htm Eniola Aluko] at The FA website