Nicole Payne

Nicole Payne
Payne with the Portland Thorns in 2024
Personal information
Full name Nicole Oyeyemisi Payne[1]
Date of birth (2001-01-18) 18 January 2001 (age 23)[1]
Place of birth Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.[2]
Height 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)[3]
Position(s) Defender[2]
Team information
Current team
 Portland Thorns
(on loan from Paris Saint-Germain)
Number 11
Youth career
Oak Mountain Eagles
Concorde Fire
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019–2021 West Virginia Mountaineers 53 (4)
2022 USC Trojans 16 (3)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2023– Paris Saint-Germain 2 (0)
2024– → Portland Thorns (loan) 1 (0)
International career‡
2017 United States U17 1 (0)
2018 United States U19 1 (0)
2021– Nigeria 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19 March 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 16 June 2021[4]

Nicole Oyeyemisi Payne (born 18 January 2001) is a professional footballer who plays as a defender for National Women's Soccer League club Portland Thorns, on loan from Première Ligue side Paris Saint-Germain. Born in the United States, she represents Nigeria at international level.

Early life

Payne was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama,[3] attending Oak Mountain High School there.

College career

Payne attended West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia[3] for three years, transferring to the University of Southern California for her fourth and final year.

Club career

Payne signed with Paris Saint-Germain of France's Division 1 Féminine in July 2023.[5] Her first appearance (of four to date[6]) for PSG came as a substitute in a 5–2 win over Dijon FCO on 12 November 2023,[7] with her first start on 20 January 2024 in an 8–1 win over FC Girondins de Bordeaux.[8]

In February 2024 she was loaned to the Portland Thorns of the National Women's Soccer League for the 2024 season.[8]

International career

Payne was called up to the United States national under-17 team in 2017.[9]

Payne made her senior debut for Nigeria on 10 June 2021 as a 90th-minute substitute in a 0–1 friendly loss to Jamaica.[10]

Personal life

Born in Birmingham, Alabama, to Nigerian parents, Payne is the younger sister of fellow footballers Toni Payne and Stephen Payne.[11] She and her sister Toni have played together in the Nigeria women's national team.[10]

Honours

Paris Saint-Germain

References

  1. ^ a b Nicole Payne at Soccerway. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Nicole Payne joins Paris Saint-Germain". EN.PSG.FR. 20 July 2023.
  3. ^ a b c "Nicole Payne – Women's Soccer". West Virginia University Athletics. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  4. ^ "Nicole Payne". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  5. ^ "Nicole Payne joins Paris Saint-Germain". Paris Saint-Germain. 20 July 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  6. ^ "Nicole Payne loaned out to Portland Thorns FC". Paris Saint-Germain. 18 February 2024. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  7. ^ "Nicole Payne Excited To Make Division One Féminine Debut With PSG". Super Falcons Show. 14 November 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  8. ^ a b Portland Thorns FC (18 February 2024). "Thorns FC acquire defender Nicole Payne on loan from Paris Saint-Germain". Portland Thorns FC. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  9. ^ "U-17 WNT to Face England Twice in Portland, Oregon - U.S. Soccer". Archived from the original on 18 October 2017.
  10. ^ a b "Match Report of Jamaica vs Nigeria – 2021-06-10 – FIFA Friendlies – Women". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  11. ^ McIntosh, Loyd (10 January 2017). "Stephen Payne ready to kick off career in Portugal". Upper 90. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  12. ^ "LE PSG PUISSANCE 4" (in French). 4 May 2024. Retrieved 4 May 2024.