20 Facts About Jayne Ludlow

Jayne Louise Ludlow was born on 7 January 1979 and is a Welsh football coach and former player.

Jayne Ludlow represented the Wales national team from 1996 to 2012, and had been captain until her international retirement.

Jayne Ludlow later moved into management and led the Wales national team and its youth teams.

Jayne Ludlow's father had been a professional football player, and she began her own football career early, playing with a boys' team before having to stop aged 12.

Jayne Ludlow enjoyed a promising junior career in athletics, being the British record holder in the triple jump at Under-17 level and representing the UK at the Under-20s level.

Jayne Ludlow decided to focus on football, but had to travel to Barry Town to play since there were no girls' teams in the South Wales Valleys.

Jayne Ludlow won a scholarship to the University of Pennsylvania, but left months into the four-year course due to dissatisfaction with the standard of football.

Jayne Ludlow then moved to London and played for Millwall Lionesses and Southampton Saints, while completing a physiotherapy degree at King's College, London.

Jayne Ludlow was voted Players' Player of the Year in 2001, an achievement she repeated in 2003 and 2004.

In 2007, Jayne Ludlow was a key part of the side which won an unprecedented quadruple, scoring 24 goals.

Jayne Ludlow stayed loyal to Arsenal to become vice-captain and later, captain of the side.

In July 2013, after a succession of injuries, Jayne Ludlow announced her retirement from playing, indicating a desire to focus on her role as an academy coach with Arsenal and Wales.

Altogether with Arsenal, Jayne Ludlow won nine league titles, six FA Cups, and a UEFA Women's Cup.

Jayne Ludlow won her first senior Wales cap at the age of 17, against the Republic of Ireland in February 1996.

When Jayne Ludlow retired from international football in October 2012, she was described by Matikainen as "the most successful player that Wales has ever had".

Jayne Ludlow stepped down from the role at the end of the 2014 FA WSL season, after being appointed manager of the Wales women's national football team on 2 October 2014.

Jayne Ludlow was the technical director of Manchester City Girls' Academy from April 2021 to January 2024.

Jayne Ludlow went on to model her game upon players such as Roy Keane to become a more orthodox midfielder.

Jayne Ludlow has often been compared with fellow Gunner Freddie Ljungberg, to her delight.

Jayne Ludlow was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 2019 Birthday Honours for services to women's football in Wales.