The Caption Of England Football Team- Steph Houghton

Stephanie Jayne Houghton, MBE is an English footballer, who both plays for and captains Manchester City and the England women's national football team.

Since her debut in 2007, Houghton has played over 80 times for the England national team. She suffered serious injuries immediately before the 2007 World Cup and Euro 2009, but recovered to play in the 2011 World Cup and Euro 2013. She was made England captain in January 2014.

Houghton came to prominence at the 2012 London Olympics, scoring three goals in Great Britain's four games, including winners against New Zealand and Brazil. At club level Houghton started at Sunderland in her native North East England before moving on to Leeds United in 2007 then Arsenal Ladies in 2010. An extremely versatile player, she broke into the Sunderland team as a striker before moving back into midfield and later into defence.

Houghton was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2016 New Year Honours for services to football.

Houghton began her career five years at Sunderland. She helped Sunderland to win promotion from the Northern Division in 2005–06 and then won the FA Young Player of the Year Award in 2006–07. After Sunderland were relegated that season, Houghton became a target for Arsenal and Everton. She eventually joined Leeds United Ladies.

After helping Leeds win the 2010 FA Women's Premier League Cup, Houghton signed for Arsenal in August of that year.

In April 2012 Houghton was appointed as one of eight digital media ambassadors, one from each team, who wear their Twitter account name on their shirt sleeves to raise the profile of the WSL.

On 5 December 2013 it was announced that Houghton had signed an agreement to leave Arsenal for new WSL side Manchester City on 1 January 2014.

Career

* Houghton was involved with England at U16 schools, U19, U20, U21 and U23 level. She was called into the full squad for a match against Germany on 25 October 2006, when Katie Chapman withdrew with an illness. She was an unused substitute in the 5–1 defeat in Aalen.

* Houghton made her debut in the next match, replacing Emily Westwood after 73 minutes of a 6–0 win over Russia in Milton Keynes on 8 March 2007.[13] Her first start came three days later, in a 1–0 win over Scotland at Adams Park.

* She missed the 2007 World Cup with a broken leg and Euro 2009 with a damaged cruciate ligament.

* In May 2009, Houghton was one of the first 17 female players to be given central contracts by The Football Association.

* Houghton played in all three games at UEFA Women's Euro 2013 as England finished in last place: "a massive disappointment personally and collectively as a squad." In January 2014 she was named the new captain for England's team under coach Mark Sampson, beginning on a 1–1 draw with Norway.