Maren Mjelde

Maren Nævdal Mjelde (born 6 November 1989) is a Norwegian professional footballer who plays as a defender or midfielder for Women's Super League club Chelsea and captains the Norway national team. She previously played for Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC of the Swedish Damallsvenskan, Turbine Potsdam of the Frauen-Bundesliga and both Arna-Bjørnar and Avaldsnes IL of the Norwegian Toppserien.

She has won several titles with Chelsea, including the Super League and the FA Cup. In addition, she played for Norway both in the Euro in 2009 and 2013, where Norway got bronze and silver, respectively.

Club career

Arna-Bjørnar (2005–2012) 
Mjelde was born in Bergen. She joined the Norwegian club, Arna-Bjørnar, as a 15-year-old in 2005. The club finished the 2012 Toppserien league in third place, earning the bronze medal that year.

Turbine Potsdam (2013–2014) 
Mjelde transferred to the German club Turbine Potsdam before the 2013 season. She played all the club's matches in the latter part of the season, when they reached the runner-up position in the German Cup and League competitions.

Chelsea (2016–present) 
On 22 November 2016, Mjelde signed for Chelsea Ladies on a deal until 2018.

On 16 November 2019, Mjelde scored the only goal in Chelsea Women's historic win versus Manchester United Women, the first game ever played between these two female teams in the WSL 1.

On 30 March 2023, Chelsea played the second leg in the quarter final in Champions League against Lyon, last year’s winner. The aggerated score was 1–1 after full-time, so the match went to extra time and Däbritz scored for Lyon in the 110th minute, so Chelsea had to score. At the end of the added time for the second period, Chelsea got a penalty. Mjelde took the penalty and scored. The penalty was the last kick of the match, so it continued to penalty shoot-out, where Mjelde took the first penalty and scored again. Ann-Katrin Berger saved two penalties, which meant that Chelsea was through to the semi-final. During and after the match, Mjelde’s performance was praised by several, including the DAZN commentator, Emma Hayes and Ian Wright. Hayes said that Mjelde is a Chelsea legend and that you can count on her in the biggest moments.

International career
In October 2007, Mjelde made her senior international debut for Norway against Russia. She was selected for UEFA Women's Euro 2009, and the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup. Mjelde scored her first goal for Norway against Ukraine in a qualifying play–off for the latter competition.

Mjelde was Norway's vice captain during 2011 and 2012 through the team's qualification campaign for the UEFA Women's Euro 2013 and captained the side in many matches. In the tournament she played at right-back for the first time ever, and captained the team in their match in group B when Norway beat Germany 1–0 on 17 July.  Norway lost the final 0–1 to Germany, and Mjelde was included in UEFA's Squad of the Tournament.

Mjelde was selected in Even Pellerud's squad for the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup. She scored against Germany in a 1–1 draw in the group stage and played in Norway's second round defeat by England.

On 19 June 2023, she was included in the 23-player Norwegian squad for the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023.

Personal life 
Mjelde's elder brother, Erik Mjelde, is a former footballer.

Career statistics

Club

International 

Scores and results list Norway's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Mjelde goal.

Honours

Club 
Arna-Bjørnar

 Kniksens Minnefond 2006
 Young player of the year 2007

Chelsea
FA WSL: 2017–18, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23
Women's FA Cup: 2017–18, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23
FA Women's League Cup: 2019–20, 2020–21
FA Community Shield: 2020

National teams 
U19

 Silver in the Euro 2009

Norway's national team

 Bronze in the Euro 2009
 Silver in 2013
 All star team in Euro 2009
 Algarve Cup 2019

References

External links

 
 NFF profile 
 Turbine Potsdam profile 
 
 

1989 births
Living people
Norwegian women's footballers
Norway women's international footballers
Arna-Bjørnar players
BK Häcken FF players
Damallsvenskan players
1. FFC Turbine Potsdam players
Norwegian expatriate women's footballers
Expatriate women's footballers in Germany
Expatriate women's footballers in England
Norwegian expatriate sportspeople in Germany
Norwegian expatriate sportspeople in Sweden
Norwegian expatriate sportspeople in England
Footballers from Bergen
Women's association football midfielders
Women's association football defenders
2015 FIFA Women's World Cup players
Avaldsnes IL players
Chelsea F.C. Women players
Toppserien players
Women's Super League players
Expatriate women's footballers in Sweden
FIFA Women's Century Club
2019 FIFA Women's World Cup players
2011 FIFA Women's World Cup players
UEFA Women's Euro 2022 players
UEFA Women's Euro 2017 players
2023 FIFA Women's World Cup players