*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 08:21, 11 October 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19:14, 29 October 2024
Kayla Shea Rendell (born 29 June 2001) is an English professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Women's Championship club Southampton, and the England under-23 team. A product of the Southampton academy, she has represented England since under-16 youth level.
Early life
Rendell began playing football at the age of 6 with Merely, in Poole, joined the Dorset Centre of Excellence aged 8, and later played for Merley Cobham Girls.[2] Prior to becoming a full-time footballer, Rendell worked at Screwfix while playing non-league football for Southampton part-time.[3]
Club career
Rendell joined Southampton aged 15, playing in the Region Talent Club under-16s team.[2]
On 27 February 2022, in the 2021–22 FA Cup, she scored a dramatic equalising goal from a corner against Ipswich Town in extra time,[4][5] which was later awarded as Goal of the Season.[6]
In the 2022–23 season, Rendell was awarded Women's Championship Player of the Month for October 2022, having kept three clean sheets in the month in 1–0 victories.[7] In May 2023, she was nominated for Women's Championship Save of the Season for her fingertip save against Sunderland.[8][9]
In June 2023, Rendell was awarded Southampton Women's Player of the Season by fans,[10] featuring in all but one of the Saints games, keeping nine clean sheets, and making a total of 89 saves.[8]
On 23 June 2023, she extended her contract with Southampton until 2025.[11]
International career
Rendell has represented England at every youth level from under-16 to under-23.[2]
On 30 September 2022, Rendell was called up to the England under-23 squad for fixtures against Norway and Sweden,[16] where she would be an unused substitute, in favour of Emily Ramsey.[17]
On 20 February 2023, Rendell made her debut for the England U23 team, as the starting goalkeeper in a 4–1 victory over Belgium.[18][19] On 30 October 2023, with the under-23s, she made a series of saves to keep a clean sheet against Portugal in a 2–0 win.[20][21]
In April 2024, Rendell received her first call-up to the senior England team for their Euro 2025 qualifiers.[22] In May, she was named to the standby list for Euro qualifiers,[23] but later withdrew from the squad due to an ankle injury.[24]
Honours
Individual
Southampton Women's Goal of the Season: 2021–22[6]