Eleanor Dale

Eleanor Dale (born 9 February 2002) is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Sunderland.

Early life

Dale is from Billingham, Durham and attended the local Northfield School.

Club career

Dale made her debut for Middlesbrough in the Northern Premier League on 25 February 2018, as a substitute in a 4–1 win against Derby County. She scored her first goal for the club on 11 March, in a 4–1 win against Nottingham Forest.

Dale began her senior career at Women's Championship club Durham, signing for the club on January 4, 2020. She scoring her debut goal for Durham against Blackburn Rovers on 2 February.

Dale played four seasons of college soccer for the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the United States. In her senior year in 2023, she led the country with 28 goals, helping Nebraska win the Big Ten Conference regular season title, and was recognized as first-team All-American, first-team All-Big Ten, and the Big Ten Forward of the Year.

On 1 February 2024 Dale signed for Women's Super League club Everton. She made six appearances for club during the 2023–24 season.

On 4 July, she then signed for Sunderland, to return to playing in the Women's Championship.

International career

Dale has represented England internationally at under-17 and under-18 youth level. Dale made her debut for the under-23 team in a 0–0 draw against Spain on 16 February 2023. She was described as "one of England’s rising stars, having... made her home country’s U23 team".

Honours

Individual

• NCAA Division I First-Team All-America: 2023
• Big Ten Conference Forward of the Year: 2023