Nikita Parris


Nikita Josephine Parris is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for Olympique Lyonnais and the England national team.
She is the sister of English professional boxer Natasha Jonas. She has also played for English youth national teams, representing her country at the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup and 2013 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship.

Club career

Everton

Parris, born in Toxteth, an area of Liverpool, joined Everton's Centre of Excellence at age 14. She has a degree in Sports Development from Liverpool John Moores University. She made her senior team debut for Everton in August 2010 at the qualifying tournament for the 2010–11 UEFA Women's Champions League.
Parris was named to Everton's squad for the inaugural Women's Super League season in 2011. During the 2014 season, she scored 11 goals in 19 games, but Everton went winless in the league and were relegated to FA WSL 2. Her 2014 performance placed her on the shortlist for the 2015 PFA Women's Young Player of the Year and WSL Team of the Year.

Manchester City

Parris joined Manchester City on a season-long loan in January 2015, reuniting with former teammates Toni Duggan and Jill Scott, who had left Everton two seasons prior, as she thought she needed to play in WSL 1 to contend for a place on the senior England national team. During her time at Manchester City, Parris made 127 appearances for the club, and scored 62 goals. The striker helped Manchester City to win two FA Cups in 2017 and 2019, two Continental Cups, a league title and two Champions League semi-finals. In 2019, Parris was also voted the Football Writers’ Association Women’s Player of the Year.

Olympique Lyonnais

On 11 May 2019, Parris announced she would leave City at the end of the season. On 19 June 2019, her move to Division 1 Féminine side Olympique Lyonnais was officially confirmed by the club. Parris scored her first league goal for the club, on her debut, in a 6–0 win against Olympique Marseille on 24 August.

International career

On 4 June 2016, Parris made her senior international debut for England, coming on a substitute in England's Euro 2017 qualifying victory over Serbia, registering one assist as England won 7–0. Three days later, Parris once again came off the bench in the reverse fixture, this time scoring twice as England repeated the 7–0 scoreline.
On 27 June 2017, Parris scored her first goal in a major tournament, netting the winner in England's 2–1 group stage win against Portugal at Euro 2017.
On 2 March 2019, Parris scored against America in a 2–2 draw at the 2019 SheBelieves Cup, a tournament England won.
After finishing as England's top scorer in qualifying with six goals, Parris scored her first World Cup goal and England's first in the 2019 World Cup during their opening group game, a penalty in a 2–1 win over Scotland. She also took a penalty in England's next game, the fourth consecutive World Cup finals match England had won a penalty in, but had it saved by Argentina goalkeeper Vanina Correa. England won 1–0. Parris missed her second penalty in a 3–0 win over Norway in the knockout stages of the tournament. England manager Phil Neville added: "She's missed two penalties and they have both been really good saves. She'll take the next one. She is our best penalty taker." England went on to finish the tournament in fourth place.
On 29 August, Parris revived her penalty form by rescuing a 3–3 draw against Belgium in an international friendly. This was followed, five days later, by an assist for Georgia Stanway's opener in a 2–1 defeat to Norway.

Career statistics

Club

International goals

GoalDateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
17 June 2016Sports Center of FA of Serbia, Stara Pazova, Serbia6–07–0Euro 2017 qualifying
27 June 2016Sports Center of FA of Serbia, Stara Pazova, Serbia7–07–0Euro 2017 qualifying
320 September 2016Den Dreef, Leuven, Belgium1–02–0Euro 2017 qualifying
427 July 2017Koning Willem II Stadion, Tilburg, Netherlands2–12–1Euro 2017
519 September 2017Prenton Park, Birkenhead, England1–06–02019 World Cup qualifying
624 November 2017Bescot Stadium, Walsall, England2–04–02019 World Cup qualifying
728 November 2017Colchester Community Stadium, Colchester, England3–05–02019 World Cup qualifying
828 November 2017Colchester Community Stadium, Colchester, England4–05–02019 World Cup qualifying
98 June 2018Sapsan Arena, Moscow, Russia1–03–12019 World Cup qualifying
1031 August 2018Rodney Parade, Newport, Wales3–03–02019 World Cup qualifying
112 March 2019Nissan Stadium, Nashville, United States2–12–22019 SheBelieves Cup
1225 May 2019Bescot Stadium, Walsall, England1–02–0Friendly
139 June 2019Allianz Riviera, Nice, France1–02–12019 FIFA Women's World Cup
1429 August 2019Den Dreef, Heverlee, Belgium3–33–3Friendly

Honours

Manchester City
Olympique Lyonnais
England
Parris is a younger sister of boxer Natasha Jonas.