26 Facts About Fran Kirby

Fran Kirby began her career with hometown club Reading before moving to Chelsea in July 2015 where she remained until 2024.

Fran Kirby represented her country at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada, the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France and the UEFA Women's Euro 2017 in the Netherlands.

Fran Kirby is considered as one of the best players of her generation.

Fran Kirby was named to the shortlist for the Ballon d'Or in 2021, ranking 10th.

Fran Kirby was named to the Top 10 of The Guardian The 100 Best Female Footballers In The World in 2021, ranking seventh.

Fran Kirby attended Caversham Park Primary School and Chiltern Edge, Sonning Common where she played against boys.

Fran Kirby joined her hometown club Reading at the age of seven and worked her way through the youth teams.

Fran Kirby made her debut for the first team at the age of 16 but quit football the following year after an onset of depression, brought about by the death of her mother.

Fran Kirby ended the season as the league's top goalscorer; netting four against London Bees, as well as hat-tricks against Durham, Watford and Doncaster Rovers Belles.

At the 2014 FA Women's Awards, Fran Kirby was named the inaugural WSL2 Players' Player of the Year.

In February 2020, Chelsea announced that Fran Kirby was diagnosed with pericarditis, which had ruled her out of the team since November 2019.

Fran Kirby overcame her infection, despite being told by cardiologists that she may never play again, and played 70 minutes in Chelsea's FA Community Shield win against Manchester City on 29 August 2020.

Fran Kirby later won FWA's 2021 Women's Footballer of the Year award.

Early in her career, Fran Kirby was a member of the England under-23 squad.

Fran Kirby became the first WSL 2 player to be called up to the senior squad, in June 2014 for the World Cup qualifiers against Belarus and Ukraine.

Fran Kirby was named on the substitutes' bench against Belarus but did not make an appearance.

In June 2022 Fran Kirby was included in the England squad which won the UEFA Women's Euro 2022.

Fran Kirby was allotted 186 when the FA announced their legacy numbers scheme to honour the 50th anniversary of England's inaugural international.

In 2023, Fran Kirby confirmed that she would miss the upcoming FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 due to requiring surgery for an ongoing knee problem.

In March 2025, Fran Kirby was called up to the 2025 UEFA Women's Nations League squad for the matches against Belgium, after missing the first two matches, due to injury.

Fran Kirby was hailed as a "stand out player" in Great Britain's gold medal-winning team at the 2013 Summer Universiade in Kazan, Russia.

Fran Kirby went on to represent Great Britain at the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

When Fran Kirby was 14, Denise died suddenly from a brain haemorrhage.

In February 2020, Chelsea revealed Fran Kirby had successfully recovered from pericarditis, a potentially career-ending illness.

Fran Kirby had fallen ill in November 2019 and came close to retiring from the game as a result.

Emma Hayes, the then manager of Chelsea Women, clarified during a press conference that Fran Kirby had been "suffering a lot with fatigue", yet the cause was unknown.