View source for Laura Bassett

{{short description|English footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name        = Laura Bassett
| image       = Arsenal LFC v Kelly Smith All-Stars XI (175) (cropped).jpg
| image_size  = 250
| caption     = Bassett in 2017
| fullname    = Laura Bassett<ref name=FIFA>{{cite web |url=https://www.fifadata.com/document/FWWC/2015/pdf/FWWC_2015_SquadLists.pdf |title=FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015: List of players: England |publisher=FIFA|page=10 |date=6 July 2015 |access-date=1 June 2019}}</ref>
| birth_date  = {{Birth date and age|1983|8|2|df=y}}<ref name=FIFA/>
| birth_place = [[Nuneaton]], England<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.thefa.com/England/Womens-seniors/news/2009/englandspain_qa|title=Behind the scenes|publisher=TheFA.com|date=4 October 2008|access-date=23 August 2010}}</ref>
| height      = 1.65 m<ref name=FIFA/>
| position    = [[Defender (association football)|Defender]]<ref name=FIFA/>
| youthyears1 = 1993–1997
| youthclubs1 = Bedworth Girls
| years1 =  1997–2000
| clubs1 = [[Coventry City L.F.C.|Coventry City Ladies]]
| caps1  = 
| goals1 = 
| years2 =  2000–2008
| clubs2 = [[Birmingham City L.F.C.|Birmingham City Ladies]]
| caps2  = 
| goals2 = 
| years3 =  2006
| clubs3 = → [[New York Magic]] (loan)
| caps3  = 
| goals3 = 
| years4 =  2008–2009
| clubs4 = [[Arsenal W.F.C.|Arsenal Ladies]]
| caps4  = 17
| goals4 = 0
| years5 =  2009–2010
| clubs5 = [[Leeds United L.F.C.|Leeds United Ladies]]
| caps5  = 16
| goals5 = 0
| years6 =  2010–2013
| clubs6 = [[Birmingham City L.F.C.|Birmingham City Ladies]]
| caps6  = 39
| goals6 = 0
| years7 =  2014
| clubs7 = [[Chelsea L.F.C.|Chelsea Ladies]]
| caps7  = 13
| goals7 = 0
| years8 =  2015–2017
| clubs8 = [[Notts County Ladies F.C.|Notts County]]
| caps8  = 29
| goals8 = 0
| years9 = 2017–2018
| clubs9 = [[Canberra United FC|Canberra United]]
| caps9  = 12
| goals9 = 1
| nationalyears1 = 2003–2017
| nationalteam1  = [[England women's national football team|England]]
| nationalcaps1  = 63
| nationalgoals1 = 2
| pcupdate = 21 February 2018<ref>{{cite web|url=http://full-time.thefa.com/DisplayStatsForPlayer.do?id=1366490|publisher=The FA|access-date=12 June 2017|title=Laura Bassett}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://us.women.soccerway.com/players/laura-bassett/24688/|publisher=Soccer Way|access-date=12 June 2017|title=Laura Bassett}}</ref>
| medaltemplates = 
{{Medal|Sport|Women's [[Association football|football]]}}
{{Medal|Country|{{fbw|ENG}}}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[FIFA Women's World Cup]]}}
{{Medal|Bronze|[[2015 FIFA Women's World Cup|2015 Canada]]|}}
}}
'''Laura Bassett''' (born 2 August 1983) is an English former [[Association football|football]] [[Defender (association football)|defender]] who represented [[England women's national football team|England]] internationally. She played for [[FA WSL]] club [[Notts County Ladies F.C.|Notts County]], [[Birmingham City L.F.C.|Birmingham City]] (two separate spells), [[Arsenal L.F.C.|Arsenal]], [[Leeds United L.F.C.|Leeds Carnegie]], [[Chelsea L.F.C.|Chelsea]], and [[W-League (Australia)|Australian W-League]] club [[Canberra United FC|Canberra United]].

Bassett acquired over 60 [[Cap (sports)|caps]] for the national team between 2003 and 2017, being part of the squad at [[UEFA Women's Euro 2009]], the [[2011 FIFA Women's World Cup]], [[UEFA Women's Euro 2013]], the [[2015 FIFA Women's World Cup]] and [[UEFA Women's Euro 2017]].

==Club career==
Bassett grew up in [[Bulkington]] and joined Bedworth girls as a nine-year-old. At 14 she joined Coventry City and played in the [[FA Women's Premier League Northern Division]] while still a pupil at [[North Warwickshire and Hinckley College]].<ref name=cov>{{Cite web|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Meet+England%27s+new+centre-half+-+Laura+Bassett%3B+football.-a062189244|title=Meet England's new centre-half&nbsp;– Laura Bassett; football|work=Coventry Evening Telegraph|date=18 May 2000|author=Michelle Wilson|access-date=23 August 2010}}</ref> She then moved to Birmingham City and became [[Captain (association football)|captain]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/coventry-warwickshire-sport/other-sport/2008/03/18/laura-works-hard-plays-hard-92746-20639673/|title=Laura works hard, plays hard!|work=Coventry Evening Telegraph|date=18 March 2008|access-date=23 August 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120313092539/http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/coventry-warwickshire-sport/other-sport/2008/03/18/laura-works-hard-plays-hard-92746-20639673/|archive-date=13 March 2012}}</ref> while on a scholarship at the [[The Football Association|FA]] Player Development Centre at [[Loughborough University]]. She spent summer 2006 playing in the [[USL W-League (1995–2015)|W-League]] with [[New York Magic]].<ref name=nordic>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thefa.com/England/womens-under-23s/News/2006/Nordic_squad_for_Norway|title=Nordic squad for Norway|publisher=TheFA.com|date=22 June 2006|access-date=23 August 2010}}</ref>

Bassett left Birmingham for Arsenal in 2008.<ref>{{Cite web |date=24 December 2008 |title=Contenders: Bassett |url=https://www.thefa.com/England/womens-seniors/News/2009/WomPoty_2008_Bassett |access-date=23 August 2010 |publisher=TheFA.com |archive-date=15 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120515002849/https://www.thefa.com/England/womens-seniors/News/2009/WomPoty_2008_Bassett |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref> She signed for Leeds Carnegie in October 2009<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.leedsunitedladies.com/2009/sunderland-v-leeds.html|title=Leeds second after frantic finale|publisher=Leeds United Ladies|date=28 October 2009|access-date=23 August 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100823115517/http://www.leedsunitedladies.com/2009/sunderland-v-leeds.html|archive-date=23 August 2010}}</ref> and helped the Yorkshire club win the [[FA Women's Premier League Cup|Premier League Cup]] in February 2010.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/feb/11/leeds-carnegie-everton|title=Leeds Carnegie lift first major trophy with defeat of Everton|work=The Guardian|date=11 February 2010|author=Tony Leighton|access-date=23 August 2010}}</ref>

After Leeds' funding and [[FA WSL]] bid collapsed, Bassett spent a period without a club.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.womenssoccerscene.co.uk/womens-football-news-2010-2011/100806-03-womens-football-news.htm|title=England prepare for Austria|publisher=Women's Soccer Scene|date=6 August 2010|access-date=23 August 2010|archive-date=16 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210516121138/http://womenssoccerscene.co.uk/womens-football-news-2010-2011/100806-03-womens-football-news.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> In October 2010 it was revealed that she had re-signed for Birmingham City.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.thefa.com/England/womens-seniors/News/2010/PeaceCupSquad|title=Hope names Peace Cup squad|publisher=TheFA.com|date=4 October 2010|access-date=4 October 2010}}</ref> In April 2012 Bassett 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17608531|title=Women's Super League launches Twitter kit initiative to raise profile|work=BBC Sport|access-date=10 April 2012|date=4 April 2012}}</ref> At the end of the 2013 season, club [[Captain (association football)|captain]] Bassett rejected Birmingham's offer of a new contract and joined [[Chelsea L.F.C.|Chelsea]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Laura Bassett quits Birmingham to sign for Chelsea Ladies|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25123287|access-date=14 February 2015|work=BBC Sport|date=27 November 2013}}</ref>

With Bassett Chelsea finished as runners-up in the [[2014 FA WSL]], but she signed a three-year contract with [[Notts County Ladies F.C.|Notts County]] ahead of the [[2015 FA WSL|2015]] campaign.<ref>{{cite news|title=Notts County Ladies: Laura Bassett & Alex Greenwood join|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30699756|access-date=14 February 2015|work=BBC Sport|date=6 January 2015}}</ref>

Following Notts County's folding in April 2017,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/39667392|title=Notts County Ladies: WSL 1 club fold on eve of Spring Series season|publisher=[[BBC Sport]]|date=21 April 2017}}</ref> Bassett became a free agent. She joined Australian club [[Canberra United FC|Canberra United]] for the 2017–18 Australian W-League season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/41328556|title=Laura Bassett: England defender joins Canberra United|publisher=[[BBC Sport]]|date=20 September 2017}}</ref>

Bassett sat out the 2018–19 season to give birth to her daughter Saede. On 3 June 2019 she announced her retirement.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://article.wn.com/view/2019/06/03/England_Lionesses_Laura_Bassett_announces_retirement/|title=England Lionesses: Laura Bassett announces retirement|publisher=wn.com|date=3 June 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48494894|title=England Lionesses: Laura Bassett announces retirement|date=3 June 2019|publisher=BBC}}</ref>

Bassett was part of the BBC's commentary team for the [[2019 FIFA Women's World Cup]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/laura-bassett-ready-to-put-2015-world-cup-own-goal-behind-her-xjp8d9k5s|title=Laura Bassett ready to put 2015 World Cup own goal behind her|first=Rebecca|last=Myers|date=9 June 2019|newspaper=[[The Times]]|access-date=29 June 2019|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

==International career==
Bassett represented England at youth level,<ref name=cov/><ref name=nordic/> including at the [[2002 FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship]]. When she made her senior debut against [[Italy women's national football team|Italy]] in February 2003,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.thefa.com/England/womens-seniors/News/2003/41109|title=Young England beaten by Italy|publisher=TheFA.com|access-date=23 August 2010|date=25 February 2003}}</ref> she became the first Birmingham City Ladies player to play for England at full international level.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bclfc.com/index.php?cat=HIS&id=2|title=Club History|publisher=Birmingham City L.F.C.|access-date=13 August 2009|archive-date=21 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170821125434/http://www.bclfc.com/index.php?cat=HIS&id=2|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In May 2009, Bassett was one of the first 17 female players to be given central contracts by [[The Football Association]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/women/8050189.stm|title=England Women awarded contracts|work=BBC Sport|date=14 May 2009|access-date=29 July 2009}}</ref> She made her [[FIFA Women's World Cup]] debut in July 2011, replacing [[Ellen White (footballer)|Ellen White]] for the final minute of England's 2–0 group B win over [[Japan women's national football team|Japan]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/14038052.stm|title=Women's World Cup: England 2–0 Japan|work=BBC Sport|date=5 July 2011|author=Jonathan Stevenson|access-date=10 July 2011}}</ref>

Bassett scored a last-minute equaliser in England's opening [[UEFA Women's Euro 2013]] match against [[Spain women's national football team|Spain]], but [[Karen Bardsley]]'s [[injury time]] own goal gave the Spanish a 3–2 win.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Magowan|first1=Alistair|title=England 2 3 Spain|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23193028|access-date=14 February 2015|work=BBC Sport|date=12 July 2013|location=Linkoping, Sweden}}</ref>

Under new coach [[Mark Sampson]], Bassett started England's first game at the [[2015 FIFA Women's World Cup]], a 1–0 defeat by [[France women's national football team|France]]. She sustained a [[black eye]] after being elbowed in the face by [[Camille Abily]], but the French player controversially escaped any punishment.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Taylor|first1=Louise|title=Elbow incident leaves England's Laura Bassett bruised but unbowed|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/jun/11/england-womens-world-cup-bassett-bruise|access-date=14 June 2015|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=11 June 2015|location=Moncton}}</ref> During added time in the semi-final match against [[Japan women's national football team|Japan]], Bassett [[Own goal|lobbed the ball into England's goal]] while trying to clear it to prevent Japan from taking an open shot, resulting in a 2–1 defeat.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Callaghan|first1=Shane|title=Result: Last-gasp Laura Bassett own goal denies battling England|url=http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/england-women/womens-world-cup-2015/result/result-last-gasp-bassett-own-goal-denies-england_231430.html|website=Sports Mole|date=2 July 2015 |access-date=2 July 2015}}</ref>

She captained England for their [[UEFA Women's Euro 2017]] first phase match against [[Portugal women's national football team|Portugal]],<ref>{{cite web|last1=Lavery|first1=Glenn|title=Portugal 1 England 2|url=https://www.thefa.com/news/2017/jul/27/uefa-womens-euro-2017-group-d-portugal-england-match-report-270717|website=The FA|access-date=29 January 2021}}</ref> her last appearance for England.

She was allotted 146 when the FA announced their legacy numbers scheme to honour the 50th anniversary of England’s inaugural international.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://www.englandfootball.com/england/womens-senior-team/Legacy?tab=Players |title=ENGLAND PLAYER LEGACY AND RESULTS ARCHIVE |date=18 November 2022 |access-date=22 January 2025 |publisher=[[The Football Association]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Lacey-Hatton |first=Jack |date=2022-11-18 |title=Lionesses introduce 'legacy numbers' for players past and present |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/lionesses-introduce-legacy-numbers-players-28529161 |access-date=2023-06-19 |website=mirror |language=en}}</ref>

===International goals===
:''Scores and results list England's goal tally first.''
{| class="wikitable"
! Goal !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Score !! Result !! Competition
|-
| 1. || 12 July 2013 || [[Arena Linköping]], [[Linköping]], [[Sweden]] || {{fb|Spain}} || '''2'''–2 || 2–3 || [[UEFA Women's Euro 2013|Euro 2013]]
|-
| 2. || 21 August 2014 || [[Cardiff City Stadium]], [[Cardiff]] || {{fbw|WAL}} ||align=left| '''4'''–0 ||align=left| 4–0 || [[2015 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification (UEFA)|2015 FIFA World Cup qualification]]
|}

==Personal life==
Bassett is in a long-term relationship with [[Manchester United Women]] manager [[Marc Skinner]], having met while both coaching for Birmingham's U-14s team.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://inews.co.uk/sport/football/laura-bassett-without-club-doesnt-want-play-partner/|title=Laura Bassett is without a club but she doesn't want to play for her partner|last=Moore|first=Glenn|date=2017-06-06|website=inews.co.uk|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-01-19}}</ref> Their daughter, Saede, was born in December 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/laurabassett6/status/1070584733724274689|title=Laura Bassett tweets birth announcement|last=Bassett|first=Laura|website=Twitter}}</ref> Their second child was born in March 2024.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Rowe-Willcocks |first1=Helen |title=Healy: Every game is dangerous in the WSL |url=https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/man-utd-women-assistant-coach-charlotte-healy-ready-for-bristol-city-challenge-in-wsl-on-17-march |website=Manchester United F.C. |access-date=24 May 2024 |date=15 March 2024}}</ref>

==Honours==
'''Birmingham City'''
*[[FA Women's Cup]]: [[2012 FA Women's Cup Final|2011–12]]<ref>{{cite news 
|url=https://womenscompetitions.thefa.com/en/Article/Birmingham-Chelsea-Throwback-110420
|title=FA Cup Final throwback: Birmingham topple Chelsea in 2012 thriller
|publisher=The FA
|access-date=9 May 2022}}</ref>
'''England'''
*[[UEFA Women's Championship]] runner-up: [[UEFA Women's Euro 2009|2009]]<ref>{{cite web |title=UEFA Women's EURO 2009 - Final |url=https://www.uefa.com/womenseuro/match/2001423--england-vs-germany/ |publisher=UEFA |access-date=7 July 2019 |date=10 September 2009}}</ref>
*[[FIFA Women's World Cup]] third place: [[2015 FIFA Women's World Cup|2015]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://resources.fifa.com/mm/document/tournament/competition/02/66/09/64/eng_51_0704_ger-eng_fulltime.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150706175120/http://resources.fifa.com/mm/document/tournament/competition/02/66/09/64/eng_51_0704_ger-eng_fulltime.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=6 July 2015 |date=4 July 2015 |title=Match for third place - Match report |publisher=FIFA|access-date=7 July 2019}}</ref>
*[[Cyprus Cup]]: [[2013 Cyprus Cup|2013]], [[2015 Cyprus Cup|2015]]<ref>{{cite news |last1=Leighton |first1=Tony |date=13 March 2013 |title=Rachel Yankey volley earns England women their second Cyprus Cup title |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/mar/13/rachel-yankey-england-canada-cyprus-cup}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Lavery |first1=Glenn |date=11 March 2015 |title=England 1-0 Canada: Cyprus Cup final match report |url=http://www.thefa.com/news/2015/mar/11/cyprus-cup-final-canada-larnaca-match-report |publisher=The Football Association}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
*{{FIFA player}}
*[http://www.thefa.com/England/All-Teams/Players/B/Laura-Bassett Laura Bassett] at the FA website
*[http://www.nclfc.co.uk/playerProfile/laura_bassett.html Notts County player profile]

{{Navboxes
| title = England squads
| bg = white
| fg = #CF081F
| bordercolor = #0B0B3F
| list1 = 
{{England squad UEFA Women's Euro 2009}}
{{England Squad 2011 Women's World Cup}}
{{England squad UEFA Women's Euro 2013}}
{{England squad 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup}}
{{England squad UEFA Women's Euro 2017}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bassett, Laura}}
[[Category:1983 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Arsenal W.F.C. players]]
[[Category:Birmingham City W.F.C. players]]
[[Category:Canberra United FC players]]
[[Category:Chelsea F.C. Women players]]
[[Category:Coventry United W.F.C. players]]
[[Category:English women's footballers]]
[[Category:England women's international footballers]]
[[Category:England women's under-23 international footballers]]
[[Category:FA Women's National League players]]
[[Category:Footballers from Nuneaton]]
[[Category:Leeds United Women F.C. players]]
[[Category:Notts County L.F.C. players]]
[[Category:Women's association football defenders]]
[[Category:Women's Super League players]]
[[Category:UEFA Women's Euro 2017 players]]
[[Category:USL W-League (1995–2015) players]]
[[Category:21st-century English sportswomen]]
[[Category:2011 FIFA Women's World Cup players]]
[[Category:2015 FIFA Women's World Cup players]]