Jessika Nash

Jessika Jayne Nash is an Australian soccer player who plays for Serie A Femminile club US Sassuolo and the Australia national team. She has previously played for Canberra United, Sydney FC, Melbourne Victory, and Central Coast Mariners in the A-League Women.

Early life

Nash grew up in New South Wales and played for FNSW Institute. Nash started playing football at the age of four. Nash's family was supportive of her career choice from a young age. Three generations of her family travelled to watch her play at the 2019 AFC U-16 Women's Championship. Nash's father, Don, was a cricketer for NSW Blues.
Nash attended Hills Sports High School, completing her studies in 2022.

On 20 October 2020, Nash signed for Canberra United for the 2020–21 W-League season, together with Clare Hunt. On 30 December 2020, Nash made her W-League debut against Adelaide United in a 4–3 victory for Canberra. Nash started the match playing the full 90 minutes, with Adelaide taking a 2–0 lead during the match, only for Canberra United to strike back courtesy of a Michelle Heyman hat trick and a Laura Hughes stoppage time winner. Heyman praised Nash for her performance. After helping Canberra United qualify for the finals series with an unbeaten streak in March, Nash was nominated for the Young Footballer of the Year Award.

In September 2021, Nash joined Sydney FC ahead of the 2021–22 A-League Women season, together with Sarah Hunter, looking to progress her career.

In September 2022, Nash joined Melbourne Victory ahead of the 2022–23 A-League Women season. In August 2024, it was announced Nash wouldn't return to the club for the 2024–25 A-League Women season.

Following her departure from Melbourne Victory, Nash joined Central Coast Mariners.

Following a season at Central Coast Mariners, in which she helped them win the championship, Nash joined Italian Serie A Femminile club Sassuolo.

Although the youngest member of the squad, Nash was selected as captain of the Junior Matildas, resulting in Nash being a pivotal part of the team during both 2019 AFC U-16 Women's Championship qualification and final tournament. Nash made her Junior Matildas debut on 17 September 2018, playing 90 minutes in an 11–0 victory against Palestine. She featured during six matches of qualification and she started all five games in the final tournament, playing 424 minutes. Nash made her senior Matildas debut in November 2021 in a friendly match against United States held in Sydney, which resulted in a 0–3 loss for her team. In December 2024 she was a substitute in two home friendlies against Chinese Taipei, which Matildas won 3–1 and 6–0.