Steph Houghton Biography, Age, Career, Wedding, Salary

Steph Houghton is a British football player who plays in the midfield and center back position for Manchester City as well as England’s women’s national soccer team. She serves as the captain of both squads. She has made 100 caps for the national team since she was called up to wear the national colors in 2007. Steph is held in high regard for her ability to give all she has to the game in order to win even if it might result in severe injuries.

Few players can boast of Steph’s versatility on the field. Although she got her start as a striker, she later moved to midfield where she also shone brilliantly, before moving further back into the defense. Regardless of what position she plays in, Steph’s ability on the ball is guaranteed to impress. In 2016, she was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire for her services to football during the New Year’s Honours.

Steph Houghton Biography [Age]

Steph Houghton hails from a sporting family. Her father was a semi-professional football player so it wasn’t surprising that she began kicking a ball around the house from the moment she could walk. As she grew up, she tried out multiple sports, but quickly discovered that football was the one she liked best so she channeled her energy into it. Her parents were really supportive of her chosen path, accompanying her to summer camps at Sunderland FC so she could get quality practice.

When she was only 9, Steph got scouted for the first time and had to begin training with people much older than she was because there were no little teams at her level. She played for her school team, local football clubs, and Sunderland. If there was an opportunity for her to play, her parents made sure she was able to, even when it was inconvenient.

Through hard work and persistent training, Steph has worked her way up to the top of the professional ladder, establishing herself as one of the best center-halves in the game. On the international front, Steph has trained with England’s U16 schools and played at the U19, U20, U21, and U23 levels. She joined the senior national team in 2006. Steph broke her leg, causing her to withdraw from the world cup, and later again in 2009, she missed the Euro Cup thanks to a torn cruciate ligament.

Despite the injuries, Houghton went on to become part of the first 17 women footballers to receive central contracts from The Football Association. In 2014, it was announced that Steph would be taking over as captain of the female national team. She went on to lead the team to the 2015 World Cup and recently received her 100th cap for England in 2018.

The star player has also represented her home country at the 2012 Summer Olympics. Steph Houghton was the highest goalscorer for the squad and was named the left-back of the tournament as a result of her spectacular performance in the games.

Career

Steph began her professional career at Sunderland, where she played for five years. She led the team to get upgraded from the Northern Division in the 2005 season. The following season, she received the FA Young Player of the Year Award. Despite her best efforts, Sunderland got relegated and Steph was expected to end up at Everton or Arsenal; however, she ended up signing with Leeds United Ladies. She helped Leeds claim the 2010 FA Women’s Premier League Cup, before moving on to Arsenal later in the season.

The center-halve became one of eight digital media ambassadors in 2012, who had their Twitter handles inscribed on their shirts to create more buzz and awareness about the Women’s Soccer League. In December 2013, Steph signed a deal to transfer to Manchester City, and she continues to okay the WSL side today.

Wedding

Steph’s relationship status changed in 2018 after she married her long-time boyfriend and former Liverpool defender, Stephen Darby. The two had been dating for three and a half years before they decided to tie the knot in an intimate summer ceremony on June 21.

See Also: Lydia Williams Biography, Stats, Teams, Salary and Net Worth

Stephen Darby was a defender for the Bolton Wanderers before he was forced to retire prematurely at 29 after being diagnosed with motor neuron disease in September 2018. Since there is no cure for the disease, Stephen’s future will see him suffer from progressive nerve damage and cause his muscles to waste away and become feeble, however, he is taking treatments to slow down the process.

Salary and Net Worth

The remuneration female football players receive for their services is a far cry from what their male counterparts earn. While the average male footballer may earn wages running into hundreds of thousands of dollars not counting endorsement deals, some WSL players have to make do on £50 per week. Luckily for Steph Houghton, her salary is a little bit on the high side. She earns £65,000 annually by way of salaries, and a meager £4,000 in sponsorship. Her overall net worth has not been made public as yet and it is still under review.