Emma Ilijoski
Emma Jessica Ilijoski is an Australian soccer player who plays as a defender for Aberdeen of the Scottish Women's Premier League.
Club career
Ilijoski started her football career with Gungahlin United. She trained at the Canberra United FC academy and joined the full squad for two season prior to 2022. She was re-signed for another two-year contract with the team in June 2022, and also co-captained the Junior Matildas national team.In July 2024, Ilijoski signed a two-year deal with the Scottish football team Heart of Midlothian. While playing for Hearts, Ilijoski made four first-team appearances. She joined Aberdeen on loan in January 2025.
Football activism
In July 2023, Ilijoski started a campaign to reform women's football uniforms in Australia, with some having to wear poorly-fitting men's uniforms. She called for specifically-designed clothes to be created in cooperation with women.In 2024, Ilijoski was a leading figure in the Professional Footballers Australia trade union's Our Greener Pitch project against climate change. She played in the A-League's first "Green Game", which focused on reducing team travel, reducing waste, and educating people. The initiative was nominated for Elite Organisation of the Year at the 2024 BBC Sport Green Awards.