Marissa Callaghan


Marissa James Callaghan is a Northern Irish football midfielder who plays for Cliftonville Ladies and formerly for the Northern Ireland national team

Early career

Callaghan started playing football at 13 for the Newington Girls. After this, she went to university in the United States on a football scholarship. She returned to Northern Ireland in 2005 and started playing for Cliftonville again. She graduated with an advanced certificate in sports coaching from the University of Ulster in 2017. As a result, she also volunteered as a coach for Cliftonville Ladies. Later she became their academy director.

With Northern Ireland

Callaghan made her international debut for the Northern Ireland women's national under-19 football team in 2002. She made her debut for Northern Ireland in 2010. In 2016, Callaghan was awarded the Northern Ireland Women's Football Association Women's Personality of the Year award. A year later she was the tournament ambassador for the 2017 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship being held in Northern Ireland.
Callaghan was part of the squad that was called up to the UEFA Women's Euro 2022. She also captained the Northern Ireland team at Euro 2022.

International goals

No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
4.9 March 2015Umag 4, Umag, Croatia1–01–22015 Istria Cup
5.3 June 2016Solitude, Belfast, Northern Ireland2–04–0UEFA Women's Euro 2017 qualifying
6.3 June 2016Solitude, Belfast, Northern Ireland3–04–0UEFA Women's Euro 2017 qualifying
7.13 April 2021Seaview, Belfast, Northern Ireland1–02–0UEFA Women's Euro 2022 qualifying play-offs
8.17 September 2021Inver Park, Larne, Northern Ireland1–04–02023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification
9.21 September 2021Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland3–04–02023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification

Career

After leaving university, Callaghan started working full-time in 2010 as a women's football community coach. In 2016, Callaghan was selected as a women's football ambassador for the Irish Football Association. Following this, she worked with Northern Ireland national football team captain Steven Davis to promote participation in women's youth football.

Personal life

Callaghan is a Roman Catholic and has discussed representing Northern Ireland and the need of a national anthem that could represent a common identity to both Catholics and Protestants. She was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 2025 New Year Honours for services to Association Football and to the community in Northern Ireland. She is married to her partner Paula and they have one son together.