Victoria Esson

Victoria Esson
Personal information
Full name Victoria Lucy Esson[1]
Date of birth (1991-03-06) 6 March 1991 (age 33)[2]
Place of birth Christchurch, New Zealand[3]
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 Rangers
Number 22
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2013 Texas Tech 40 (0)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014 Avaldsnes IL
2014 Coastal Spirit FC
2014 Mainland Pride 36 (0)
2017–2018 North Shore United (Seagulls) 46 (0)
2019–2022 Avaldsnes 4 (0)
2022 SC Sand 12 (0)
2022– Rangers 26 (0)
International career‡
2008 New Zealand U-17 3 (0)
2017– New Zealand 20 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19 September 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 13 February 2024

Victoria Lucy Esson (born 6 March 1991) is a New Zealand association football goalkeeper, currently playing for Rangers and represents New Zealand at international level.[4]

Early life

Esson started playing football at the age of 10 for Halswell United.[5] At first a midfielder and later defender, she became a goalkeeper at the age of 17.[6] Playing for Burnside High School, Esson became the team captain and played at Secondary School tournaments, getting selected to be part of South Island Secondary Schoolgirls squad and the Mainland's U-14 and U-16 squads.[5]

Club career

Esson went to Texas Tech in 2011, becoming Tech's first-ever international football play in the schools history.[7] Esson became Tech's all-time leader in career shut-outs, career goals against and set school records for single season and consecutive shut-outs. Esson also broke the Big 12 Conference record for single season shut-outs with 15 in 2013.[8] Esson ended her time in goal at Tech, winning 41 of their 62 games, including six draws.[8] After graduating, Esson signed with Avaldsnes IL. Struggling to adapt, she returned to New Zealand after just six weeks.[9] She signed with Coastal Spirit FC, but missed most of the season with an injured hand.[8]

In 2014, Esson was captain of Mainland Pride[8] as they won the National Women's League, the top-flight women's football tournament of New Zealand.[10] In 2019, Esson signed with Avaldsnes again, this time playing for three years.[9]

In February 2022, following the injury of first goalkeeper Jasmin Pal, Esson was signed by SC Sand.[11]

In July 2022, Esson joined Scottish club Rangers.[12]

International career

Esson was a member of the New Zealand U-17 side at the 2008 held in New Zealand, playing all three of three of New Zealand's group games.[2] She was also part of the New Zealand U-20 teams for the 2008 and 2010 Women's World Cups but didn't make an appearance on the field.[2]

Esson made her senior debut for the senior New Zealand team, the Football Ferns, against Thailand. Coming on as a sub in the 80th minute in their 5–0 win.[13][14]

In April 2019, Esson was named to the final 23-player squad for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup.[15] Esson was the starting goalie for New Zealand in all the games in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.[16]

Personal life

Esson completed her degree in wind, energy and industrial engineering while she was playing football at Texas Tech.[8] Afterwards she got a job at the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority.[6]

References

  1. ^ "Women's Olympic Football Tournament Tokyo 2020: Squad list, New Zealand" (PDF). FIFA. 7 July 2021. p. 9. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  2. ^ a b c "Victoria Esson FIFA profile". Fédération Internationale de Football Association. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  3. ^ "Victoria Esson Texas Tech Profile". Texas Tech. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  4. ^ "Caps 'n' Goals, New Zealand Women's national representatives". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  5. ^ a b "Victoria Esson UltimateNZ Soccer profile". UltimateNZSoccer. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  6. ^ a b Fifa Women’s World Cup: The remarkable journey of Football Ferns goalkeeper Victoria Esson
  7. ^ "Victoria Esson: From New Zealand to Texas Tech". Texas Tech. 4 August 2011. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  8. ^ a b c d e Egan, Brendon (11 October 2014). "New Pride captain a real keeper". The Press. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  9. ^ a b Voerman, Andrew (19 July 2023). "FIFA Women's World Cup: How Football Ferns goalkeeper Vic Esson was forged in Norway". Stuff. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  10. ^ "Mainland Pride retain ASB Women's League title". Stuff. 7 December 2014. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  11. ^ "SC Sand verpflichtet Torhüterin Victoria Esson" [SC Sand sign goalkeeper Victoria Esson] (in German). SC Sand. 1 February 2022.
  12. ^ "Football Ferns standout Vic Esson joins Scottish champions Rangers". Stuff. 21 July 2022.
  13. ^ "Football Ferns too good for Thailand". Northern Football Ferderation. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  14. ^ "Football Ferns duo Abby Erceg, Sarah Gregorius out of retirement to face Scotland". Stuff. 9 February 2018. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  15. ^ "Football Ferns squad revealed for World Cup". New Zealand Herald. 28 April 2019.
  16. ^ Co-host New Zealand out of Women's World Cup following 0–0 draw with Swiss