Vivienne Lia

Vivienne Lia
Personal information
Full name Vivienne Theresa Upendo Lia[1]
Date of birth (2006-09-27) 27 September 2006
Place of birth England
Position Forward
Team information
Current team
 Hammarby (on loan from Arsenal)
Number 11
Youth career
Whetstone Wanderers
Arsenal
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2025– Arsenal 0 (0)
2025 → Southampton (loan) 9 (0)
2025–2026 → Nottingham Forest (loan) 10 (0)
2026– → Hammarby (loan) 0 (0)
International career‡
2022–2023 England U17 5 (2)
2024–2025 England U19 18 (4)
2025– England U20 3 (1)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 9 February 2026 [3]
‡ National team caps and goals as of 21 June 2025 [2]

Vivienne Theresa Upendo Lia (born 27 September 2006) is an English professional footballer who plays as a winger for Damallsvenskan club Hammarby, on loan from Arsenal, and the England under-20s.

Early life

Lia grew up in North London, as the youngest of five siblings,[4] and is a life-long Arsenal fan.[5] She joined Whetstone Wanderers at the age of 10, followed by the Arsenal Women's Academy at the age of 14.[4] Lia made 4 appearances for the academy team in the 2023–24 season, scoring one goal.[1]

Club career

Arsenal

Lia made her senior debut for Arsenal at the age of 17 on 14 February 2024 against London City Lionesses in the quarter-finals of the Women's League Cup, replacing Katie McCabe in the 82nd minute.[6] She then made her second appearance for the Gunners in their League Cup semi-final, a 4–0 win over Aston Villa, coming on in the 90th minute to replace Frida Maanum.[7]

Lia started for the Gunners in their 2024 post-season 1–0 win against A-League All-Stars Women, providing the assist for the only goal of the game, scored by fellow striker Alessia Russo.[8][9] Later in the summer, Lia started in Arsenal's first pre-season match against Washington Spirit, before being replaced by Steph Catley in the 78th minute.[10]

Lia signed her first professional contract with Arsenal on 14 January 2025.[11][12]

Southampton F.C. (loan)

On 18 January 2025, Women's Championship side Southampton F.C. announced that Lia had signed on loan for the remainder of the 2024–25 season,[13] where she went on to make 9 appearances across all competitions for the club.[3]

Nottingham Forest (loan)

On 3 September 2025, Arsenal announced that Lia would spend the 2025–26 season on loan at Nottingham Forest.[14] Lia made her debut for the Garibaldi Reds off the bench in the 68th minute of Nottingham's opening game of the 2025–26 season, a 1–2 loss against Newcastle United.[15] Lia was recalled from her loan to Nottingham Forest on the final day of the 2026 winter transfer window, having made 12 appearances for Forest across all competitions.[16]

Hammarby (loan)

On 9 February 2026, joined Swedish club Hammarby in the Damallsvenskan for the remainder of the 2025–26 WSL season, and the beginning of the 2026 season.[17]

Lia made her debut for Hammarby in the Svenska Cuppen, in 4 - 0 win against FC Rosengård which saw Lia pick up her first assist for the club.[18]

International career

Lia has represented the England under-17 and under-19 national teams.

Lia received her first under-17 call-up in October 2022 for the 2023 UEFA Women's Under-17 Championship qualification rounds,[19] which saw England play Ukraine, hosts Estonia, and Denmark. She scored her first goal at Under-17 level in a 10 - 0 win against Ukraine.[20] Lia was then named in the squad for the second qualifying round,[21] which saw England claim their place at the 2023 UEFA Women's Under-17 Championship Finals but did not make the Finals squad.

Over a year after her last England call-up, Lia received her first Under-19 call-up in April 2024. Named by head coach John Griffiths for the second round of the under-19 Championship qualification,[22] she helped the youth team qualify for the finals of the 2024 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship. Lia then featured in the squad for the finals of the 2024 European Championship,[23] in which England were knocked out in the semi-finals by Spain.[24]

Lia was selected for both round one and round two of qualifying for the 2025 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship,[25][26] scoring three goals in the second round to help England qualify for the Finals tournament.[2] In February 2025, she was again called up to the under-19 squad, alongside Saints teammates Araya Dennis and Laila Harbert, for the Albir Garden Tournament.[27] In June 2025, new manager Lauren Smith announced her squad for the finals of the 2025 European Under-19 Championship in Poland, with Lia's name down as one of 6 young Arsenal players.[28]

Named as a injury replacement for Lauren Smith's England Under-20 squad, Lia made her debut for the Under-20s in a 2-1 win against China PR.[29] She then scored her first goal for the Under-20 Young Lionesses just 6 days later in a 2-3 win over Mexico.[30]

Style of play

A speedy and skillful winger,[4] she is versatile and can also play at right-back when required.[31][32] Lia describes herself as "quite direct and creative".[33]

Career statistics

Club

As of 3 February 2026[3]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup[b] Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Arsenal 2023–24 Women's Super League 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 0
Southampton (loan) 2024–25 Women's Championship 9 0 0 0 — 9 0
Nottingham Forest (loan) 2025–26 Women's Super League 2 10 0 1 0 1 0 12 0
Career total 19 0 1 0 3 0 23 0
  1. ^ Includes Women's FA Cup
  2. ^ Includes Women's League Cup

References

  1. ^ a b "Vivienne Theresa Upendo Lia player stats | Professional Game Academy League". The FA. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
  2. ^ a b Vivienne Lia at Flashscore
  3. ^ a b c Vivienne Lia at Soccerway
  4. ^ a b c "Young Gun: Vivienne Lia". Young Gun: Vivienne Lia. 23 July 2025. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
  5. ^ Heil, Meredith (27 August 2024). "Arsenal Stars Michelle Agyemang and Viv Lia's Academy Journeys". Just Women's Sports. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
  6. ^ Holbrook, Emma (14 February 2024). "Report: London City Lionesses 0-4 Arsenal".
  7. ^ Holbrook, Emma (6 March 2024). "Report: Arsenal 4-0 Aston Villa Women".
  8. ^ Hurley, Lee (25 May 2024). "Arsenal forward admits losing love for football before joining Gunners". Daily Cannon. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
  9. ^ Vinall, Marnie (24 May 2024). "Russo goal proves the difference as Arsenal beat A-League All Stars 1-0 at Marvel". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
  10. ^ Holbrook, Emma (18 August 2024). "Report: Washington Spirit 1-2 Arsenal".
  11. ^ Arsenal, Media (14 January 2025). "Vivienne Lia signs professional contract".
  12. ^ "Vivienne Lia: Arsenal winger joins Southampton on loan". BBC Sport. 18 January 2025. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
  13. ^ "Women sign Arsenal youngster Vivienne Lia on loan | Southampton FC | News". www.southamptonfc.com. 18 January 2025. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
  14. ^ "Vivienne Lia joins Nottingham Forest on loan". Vivienne Lia joins Nottingham Forest on loan. 13 September 2025. Retrieved 3 September 2025.
  15. ^ https://x.com/NFFCWomen/status/1964697805496410286
  16. ^ "Viv Lia recalled by Arsenal". www.nottinghamforest.co.uk. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
  17. ^ "Vivienne Lia joins Hammarby on loan". Arsenal F.C. 12 February 2026. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  18. ^ Fotboll, Svenska (23 February 2026). "Rosengård - Hammarby - Matchfakta". Svensk Fotboll.
  19. ^ Davies, Callum (30 September 2022). "England WU23s, WU19s and WU17s squads named for October internationals".
  20. ^ UEFA.com. "Ukraine-England | Women's Under-17 2023". UEFA.com. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
  21. ^ Veevers, Nicholas (9 March 2023). "England WU17s squad set for EURO qualifiers in Croatia".
  22. ^ McHugh, Beth (2 April 2024). "England WU19s squad named for EURO qualifiers".
  23. ^ McHugh, Beth (8 July 2024). "England WU19 squad named for EUROs".
  24. ^ UEFA.com. "England-Spain | Women's Under-19 2024". UEFA.com. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
  25. ^ McHugh, Beth (20 November 2024). "England WU19s begin bid for EURO qualification".
  26. ^ McHugh, Beth (26 March 2025). "England WU19s squad named for EURO qualifiers".
  27. ^ Rees-Julian, George (12 February 2025). "Saints trio called into England U19 squad for Albir Garden Tournament". Daily Echo. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
  28. ^ McHugh, Beth (10 June 2025). "England WU19s squad named for EURO Finals".
  29. ^ England, The FA. "Report: China PR 1-2 England WU20s". England Football. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
  30. ^ England, The FA. "Report: Mexico 2-3 England WU20s". England Football. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
  31. ^ Puodzius, Sophie (18 January 2025). "Arsenal rising star Vivienne Lia joins Southampton FC on loan". Her Football Hub. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
  32. ^ Cardy, Freddie (24 May 2025). "Player Ratings: Youngsters impress as Arsenal Women win post-season friendly". Online Gooner. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
  33. ^ "Viv Lia: Saints' young Gunner talks life on loan | Southampton FC | News". www.southamptonfc.com. 14 February 2025. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
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