Laila Harbert
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Laila Minnie Harbert | ||
| Date of birth | 3 January 2007 | ||
| Place of birth | England | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Arsenal | ||
| Number | 60 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Arsenal | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2025– | Arsenal | ||
| 2023–2024 | →Watford (loan) | 14 | (0) |
| 2025 | →Southampton (loan) | 9 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2021–2023 | England U17 | 31 | (5) |
| 2024– | England U19 | 6 | (1) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 30 May 2025 [1] ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 30 May 2025 [1] | |||
Laila Minnie Harbert (born 3 January 2007) is a midfielder who plays for Women's Super League club Arsenal and the England Under-19 National team.
Early life
[edit]Harbert grew up in Bexley, playing with a boys' team that her father coached. She moved to be closer to the Arsenal training grounds as she got to secondary school age, having joined the Arsenal Academy at age nine.[2]
Club career
[edit]Arsenal
[edit]On 24 May 2024, Harbert made her senior, non-competitive, debut for Arsenal in their 1 - 0 win against A-League All-Stars Women as part of Arsenal's 2024 post-season tour.[3] She then went on to feature in Arsenal's 1 - 2 win against Washington Spirit, coming on as a sub for Alessia Russo in the 78th minute.[4]
Harbert signed her first professional contract with Arsenal on 3 January 2025 after nine years at the club.[5]
Watford (dual-sign loan)
[edit]At the start of the 2023-2024 season, Harbert signed on dual-sign agreement with Women's National League side Watford alongside fellow Young Gunners Michelle Agyemang and Katie Reid.[6]
The midfielder featured in 17 games for Watford across all competitions, scoring her first senior goal and hat-trick in a 1 - 6 win away at Southampton to keep Watford in the FA Cup.[7]
Southampton (loan)
[edit]After signing her first professional contract with parent club Arsenal, Harbert signed on loan for the remainder of the 2024-25 season with Women's Championship side Southampton FC on 23 January 2025,[8] linking up with former Young Gunner Araya Dennis and current Gunner Vivienne Lia.
Harbert made 9 appearances across all competitions for Saints.
International career
[edit]Harbert has represented the England Under-17 and Under-19 national teams.
Harbert was part of the England squad[9] who got to the semi-final of the 2023 UEFA Women's Under-17 Championship, where they ended their run with a 3 - 1 defeat to Spain in the semi-finals.[10]
The midfielder later captained the Under-17 side[11] to the final of the 2024 UEFA Women's Under-17 Championship, where they were again beaten by Spain in a 0 - 4 loss in Malmö, Sweden.[12]
Towards the end of 2024, Harbert was also given the Captain's armband for the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup as England looked to overcome their previous defeats by rivals Spain. This however, was not to be. The England side were defeated again in the semi-finals by the Spanish, and then beaten by the United States in the third-place playoff to come fourth in the World.[13]
Harbert made her Under-19 debut in the Albir Garden Tournament in yet another defeat to Spain, starting all three of England's games in the tournament.[14]
Playing style
[edit]A highly technical player with excellent vision and a commanding presence on the pitch, Harbert is known for precise passing, both short and long, with an impressive ability to unlock defences.[15]
Career Statistics
[edit]- As of match on 4 May 2025
| Club | Season | League | League Cup | FA Cup | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Watford (loan) | 2023-2024 | FA Women's National League | 14 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 17 | 3 |
| Southampton FC (loan) | 2024-2025 | Women's Championship | 9 | 0 | - | - | 9 | 0 | ||
| Career Total | 23 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 26 | 3 | ||
References
[edit]- ^ a b Laila Harbert at Soccerway
- ^ "Young Gun: Laila Harbert". Young Gun: Laila Harbert. 2025-07-23. Retrieved 2025-06-06.
- ^ "Report: Arsenal Women 1-0 A League All Stars". Report: Arsenal Women 1-0 A League All Stars. 2024-05-24. Retrieved 2025-06-06.
- ^ "Report: Washington Spirit 1-2 Arsenal". Report: Washington Spirit 1-2 Arsenal. 2024-08-18. Retrieved 2025-06-06.
- ^ "Laila Harbert signs professional contract". Laila Harbert signs professional contract. 2025-07-23. Retrieved 2025-06-06.
- ^ "Teenage trio join Watford on dual agreement". Teenage trio join Watford on dual agreement. 2025-07-23. Retrieved 2025-06-06.
- ^ "Harbert hat-trick helps Watford Women into the FA Cup Fourth Round". Watford Observer. 2023-12-10. Retrieved 2025-06-06.
- ^ "Laila Harbert joins Southampton on loan". Laila Harbert joins Southampton on loan. 2025-07-23. Retrieved 2025-06-06.
- ^ The Football Association, FA (3 November 2023). "Squad for England WU17s' EURO qualifiers". England Football. Retrieved 6 June 2025.
- ^ UEFA.com. "Spain-England | Women's Under-17 2023". UEFA.com. Retrieved 2025-06-06.
- ^ "Harbert on captaining England at U17s World Cup". Harbert on captaining England at U17s World Cup. 2025-07-23. Retrieved 2025-06-06.
- ^ UEFA.com. "England-Spain | Women's Under-17 2024 Final". UEFA.com. Retrieved 2025-06-06.
- ^ FIFA (6 June 2025). "Fuller shines as USA secure podium place". Retrieved 6 June 2025.
- ^ "Women's February 2025 International round-up | Southampton FC | News". www.southamptonfc.com. 2025-03-04. Retrieved 2025-06-06.
- ^ "18yo Arsenal midfielder signs first professional contract". dailycannon.com. 2025-01-03. Retrieved 2025-06-06.