Sonia O'Neill

Sonia O'Neill
Personal information
Full name Sonia María O'Neill Caroli
Date of birth (1994-08-19) 19 August 1994 (age 30)
Place of birth Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Height 1.71 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
Calgary Wild FC
Youth career
North York Hearts-Azzurri
Master's FA
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2013 Niagara Purple Eagles 31 (0)
2014–2016 North Florida Ospreys 29 (0)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017 Husqvarna FF 4 (2)
2018 Roma CF 8 (2)
2018–2019 Pink Bari 21 (0)
2019 Split 1 (0)
2019 Fleury 0 (0)
2020–2021 Rangers 13 (2)
2021–2022 Split 15 (5)
2022–2023 Turbine Potsdam 0 (0)
2022–2023 Turbine Potsdam II 6 (0)
2023–2024 London City Lionesses 2 (0)
2025– Calgary Wild FC 0 (0)
International career
2021– Venezuela 13 (0)
Medal record
Women's football
Representing  Venezuela
Central American and Caribbean Games
Silver medal – second place 2023 San Salvador
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21 May 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 1 July 2023

Sonia María O'Neill Caroli (born 19 August 1994) is a footballer who plays as a midfielder for Calgary Wild FC in the Northern Super League and the Venezuela women's national team. Born in Canada, she represents Venezuela at international level.

Early life

[edit]

O'Neill played youth soccer with North York Hearts-Azzurri and Master's FA.[1]

College career

[edit]

In 2012, O'Neill began attending Niagara University, where she played for the women's soccer team.[2] During her first season, she tore the cruciate ligaments in her knee.[3]

In 2014, she moved to the University of North Florida to join their women's soccer team. She did not play in 2014 due to a season-ending knee injury.[4] In 2015, she was named to the Atlantic Sun Conference Academic Honour Roll.[4]

Club career

[edit]

In May 2017, O'Neill joined Swedish Elitettan club Husqvarna FF, scoring two goals in her first match.[5] After two months, she had to return to Canada due to visa issues.[6]

In February 2018, she moved to Roma CF to play in the Italian Serie B.[1]

In September 2018, she signed with Pink Bari in the Serie A.[7]

In August 2019, she briefly played with Croatian club ŽNK Split at the 2019–20 UEFA Women's Champions League.[8]

In September 2019, O'Neill signed with French Division 1 Féminine club Fleury.[9]

In January 2020, she joined Scottish Women's Premier League club Rangers.[10][11]

In 2021, she returned to play for Split again.[12]

In September 2022, she joined German club Turbine Potsdam.[13]

In July 2023, she announced she was taking a step away from the game for a period for her mental health due to the toxic nature of women's football.[14]

In August 2023, she signed with English club London City Lionesses in the second tier Women's Championship.[15] In December 2023, she took another break from the game due to her pregnancy, missing the remainder of the season.[16][17]

In December 2024, O'Neill joined Calgary Wild ahead of the inaugural Northern Super League season.[18]

International career

[edit]

O'Neill was eligible to represent for Canada, Venezuela, or Italy at international level.[19]

In late October 2019, she was called up to the Venezuelan national team for the first time.[20] She made her debut on 8 April 2021 in a friendly against Argentina.[21]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Mercato: Arriva alla Roma la canadese Sonia Maria O'Neill" [Market: Canadian Sonia Maria O'Neill arrives at Roma]. Roma CF (in Italian). 14 February 2018. Archived from the original on 30 October 2019. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  2. ^ "Sonia O'Neill Niagara profile". Niagara Purple Eagles.
  3. ^ Ramírez, Manuel Alejandro (15 February 2020). "Sonia O'Neill, la futbolista canadiense que ahora juega en la Vinotinto" [Sonia O'Neill, the Canadian soccer player who now plays for the Vinotinto]. El Diario (in Spanish).
  4. ^ a b "Sonia O'Neill North Florida profile". North Florida Ospreys.
  5. ^ Sjölin, Emma (22 May 2017). "Välkommen Sonia!" [Welcome Sonia!]. Husqvarna FF (in Swedish).
  6. ^ Smith, Louis (15 March 2020). "Sonia O'Neil On A Renewed Passion For Football Thanks To Venezuela & Rangers". World Football Index.
  7. ^ Ventrella, Mariano (September 2018). "Pink Bari, nuovo innesto a centrocampo, arriva la canadese Sonia Maria O'Neill" [Pink Bari, new addition to the midfield, the arrival of Canadian Sonia Maria O'Neill]. Calcio in Rosa (in Italian).
  8. ^ Škorić, Edmir (17 May 2023). "Nogometašici Soniji su dali nadimak "Kim Kardashian" - ona voli ćevape, Split i obične tipove" [Soccer player Sonia was nicknamed "Kim Kardashian" - she loves kebabs, Split and regular guys]. SportSport (in Croatian).
  9. ^ "D1F. Sonia O'Neill signe à Fleury !" [D1F. Sonia O'Neill signs for Fleury!]. FC Fleury 91 (in French).
  10. ^ Shaw, Louise (9 January 2020). "Sonia O'Neill Joins Rangers". Rangers FC.
  11. ^ "Rangers sign Chelsea Cornet and Sonia O'Neill". BBC Sport. 8 January 2020.
  12. ^ "U Splitu igra "Kim Kardashian južnoameričkog nogometa": "Splićani su prosječni"" [The "Kim Kardashian of South American football" plays in Split: "Split residents are average"]. Index (in Croatian). 26 April 2022.
  13. ^ Schmidt, Stephan (4 September 2022). "Sonia O'Neill wechselt zum 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam" [Sonia O'Neill moves to 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam]. 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam (in German).
  14. ^ Robson, David (11 July 2023). "'WORTHLESS NUMBER' Ex-Rangers star takes break from game and blasts toxic culture of women's football". The Scottish Sun.
  15. ^ "Venezuela international Sonia O'Neill inks one-year deal with London City Lionesses". London City Lionesses. 13 August 2023.
  16. ^ Vulas, Frane (16 December 2023). "Jedna od najljepših nogometašica, 'lavica' koja je igrala i u Splitu, objavila cijelom svijetu radosnu vijest" [One of the most beautiful female footballers, the 'lioness' who also played in Split, announced the good news to the whole world]. Slobodna Dalmacija (in Croatian).
  17. ^ "London City Lionesses and Venezuela midfielder Sonia O'Neill announces pregnancy". London City Lionesses. 15 December 2023.
  18. ^ "Calgary Wild FC Lock Up Toronto-Based Midfielder Sonia O'Neill". Calgary Wild FC. 20 December 2024.
  19. ^ Hernández, Nestor (12 April 2021). "Sonia O'Neill robó la atención en Manaos, luego de jugar con la Selección de Venezuela" [Sonia O'Neill stole the spotlight in Manaus, after playing with the Venezuela National Team]. Debate (in Spanish).
  20. ^ "Kareylen Capdevilla y Sonia O'Neall ingresan en la convocatoria de la Vinotinto Absoluta" [Kareylen Capdevilla and Sonia O'Neall join the Vinotinto Absolute squad]. Venezuelan Football Federation (in Spanish). 29 October 2019. Archived from the original on 30 October 2019.
  21. ^ Hernández, Nestor (15 May 2023). "¿Quién es Sonia O'Neill, jugadora de Venezuela que encandila con su bellísima figura?" [Who is Sonia O'Neill, a player from Venezuela who dazzles with her beautiful figure?]. Debate (in Spanish).