{{Short description|Welsh footballer (born 1990)}} {{Use British English|date=September 2023}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Rhiannon Roberts | image = 20150922 1826 W AUT WAL 3955.jpg | caption = Roberts with Wales in 2015 | full_name = Rhiannon Beth Roberts<ref>{{cite news|title=Eesti universiaadikoondis mängib kohtadele|url=http://www.fclootos.ee/article.php?story_id=2917|access-date=7 February 2016|publisher=Põlva FC Lootos|date=19 August 2011|language=Estonian|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160207213235/http://www.fclootos.ee/article.php?story_id=2917|archive-date=7 February 2016}}</ref> | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1990|8|30}} | birth_place = Chester, England | height = 1.71m | position = Centre-back | currentclub = Sunderland | clubnumber = 6 | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = Burnley | years1 = 2009–2013 | clubs1 = Blackburn Rovers | caps1 = 54 | goals1 = 3 | years2 = 2013–2018 | clubs2 = Doncaster Rovers Belles | caps2 = 71 | goals2 = 7 | years3 = 2018–2023 | clubs3 = Liverpool | caps3 = 96 | goals3 = 3 | years4 = 2023–2025 | clubs4 = Betis | caps4 = 49 | goals4 = 3 | years5 = 2025– | clubs5 = Sunderland | caps5 = 1 | goals5 = 1 | nationalyears1 = 2010 | nationalteam1 = England U23 | nationalcaps1 = | nationalgoals1 = | nationalyears2 = 2015– | nationalteam2 = Wales | nationalcaps2 = 79 | nationalgoals2 = 2 | club-update = 5 August 2025 | nationalteam-update = 23 May 2025 }} '''Rhiannon Beth "Razza" Roberts''' (born 30 August 1990) is a professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for English Women's Super League 2 club Sunderland A.F.C. Women and the Wales women's national team.<ref>{{cite news |title=Rhiannon Roberts: Wales defender signs for Sunderland AFC Women |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65989729|publisher=BBC Sport |access-date=10 July 2023}}</ref>
==Club career==
===2008–2013===
Roberts broke into the Blackburn Rovers Ladies first team towards the end of the 2008–09 season.<ref name=rovers>{{cite web|url=http://www.rovers.co.uk/page/LadiesProfiles/0,,10303~1751870,00.html|title=Rhiannon Roberts|publisher=Blackburn Rovers F.C.|access-date=28 October 2009}}</ref> Her first Blackburn goal came in April 2009, against Birmingham City Ladies in the FA Women's Premier League.<ref name=rovers />
===2013–2018===
She left Blackburn for a 15-month contract with Doncaster Rovers Belles in July 2013.<ref>{{cite news|title=Belles Sign Blackburn Duo|url=http://www.doncasterroversbelles.co.uk/news/belles_sign_blackburn_duo.html|access-date=24 September 2015|publisher=Doncaster Rovers Belles L.F.C.|date=28 July 2015}}</ref>
===2018–present=== After five seasons with the Belles, Roberts joined Liverpool in July 2018. She signed a new contract in May 2021, and the following season helped the team win the Championship, securing a return to the Women's Super League for the club after two seasons in the second tier.
In June 2023, Roberts signed for Real Betis.<ref>{{cite news |title=Rhiannon Roberts: Wales defender signs for Real Betis Women |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65989729 |access-date=10 July 2023 |work=BBC Sport |date=22 June 2023 }}</ref>
On 1 July 2025, it was announced that Roberts had signed for Women's Super League 2 side Sunderland.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1 July 2025 |title=Rhiannon Roberts signs for Sunderland |url=https://www.safc.com/news/2025/july/01/rhiannon-roberts-signs-for-sunderland/ |access-date=2025-07-19 |website=www.safc.com}}</ref> She was named as the team's captain ahead of the 2025-26 season.<ref>{{Cite web |date=3 September 2025 |title=Rhiannon Roberts: “I’m honoured to be named captain of this team” |url=https://www.safc.com/news/2025/september/03/rhiannon-roberts---i-m-honoured-to-be-named-captain-of-this-team-/ |access-date=2025-09-04 |website=www.safc.com}}</ref> She scored her first goal for the club in the opening game of the 2025-26 WSL2 season, scoring in the 52nd minute of a 4-0 win over Sheffield United on 5 September 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sheffield United vs Sunderland: WSL 2 stats & head-to-head |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/live/cqxg5dlny29t |access-date=2025-09-05 |website=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}}</ref>
==International career== Roberts has represented England Colleges, playing in the side's first ever fixture, against Australia schools in February 2008.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.fgmag.com/news/index.php?&newsmode=FULL&nid=4646|title=England colleges make promising debut|publisher=Fair Game|date=7 February 2008|access-date=7 September 2009}}</ref> In June 2010 she was called up by coach Brent Hills to the England Under–23 team for a mini tournament at the University of Warwick.<ref>{{cite news|title=Blackburn Rovers defender Rhiannon Roberts {{sic|rec|ieves|nolink=y}} England call-up|url=http://www.burnleyexpress.net/sport/blackburn-rovers-defender-rhiannon-roberts-recieves-england-call-up-1-1699969|access-date=24 September 2015|publisher=Burnley Express|date=25 June 2010}}</ref> The following year Roberts represented Great Britain at the 2011 Universiade in Shenzhen, China.<ref>{{cite web|title=Great Britain Shenzhen 2011|url=http://c1593.r93.cf3.rackcdn.com/Team_GBR_-_Team_selections_and_pictures.pdf|publisher=British Universities and Colleges Sport|access-date=24 September 2015|archive-date=25 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925120303/http://c1593.r93.cf3.rackcdn.com/Team_GBR_-_Team_selections_and_pictures.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> Despite Roberts' opening goal, Britain were eliminated after a 3–2 defeat by the hosts at Bao'an Stadium.
In August 2015 Roberts' good form with Doncaster Rovers Belles won her a call-up to a training camp with Jayne Ludlow's senior Wales squad.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Little|first1=Leandra|title=International: Captain Gives Her Thoughts|url=http://www.doncasterroversbelles.co.uk/news/international_captain_gives_her_thoughts.html|access-date=24 September 2015|publisher=Doncaster Rovers Belles L.F.C.|date=19 August 2015}}</ref> She was selected for Wales' next UEFA Women's Euro 2017 qualifying match in Austria and started the 3–0 defeat in Sankt Pölten.<ref>{{cite web|title=Austria 3 – 0 Wales|url=https://www.uefa.com/womenseuropeanqualifiers/match/2016602--austria-vs-wales/|publisher=UEFA|access-date=24 September 2015|date=22 September 2015}}</ref>
In June 2025, Roberts was named in Wales' squad for UEFA Women's Euro 2025.<ref>{{cite web |title=Cymru squad announced for UEFA Women's EURO 2025 finals |url=https://faw.cymru/news/cymru-squad-announced-for-uefa-womens-euro-2025-finals/ |publisher=Football Association of Wales |access-date=19 June 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250619092736/https://faw.cymru/news/cymru-squad-announced-for-uefa-womens-euro-2025-finals/ |archive-date=19 June 2025 |date=19 June 2025 |url-status=live}}</ref>
== Other work == In April 2026, Roberts began writing a column for BBC Sport.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Roberts |first=Rhiannon |date=11 April 2026 |title=Rhiannon Roberts column: Changing of the guard and playing in Wrexham |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/ckgekdxnzndo |access-date=11 April 2026 |work=BBC Sport}}</ref>
==Career statistics==
===Club=== {{Updated|match played 18 May 2025}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/rhiannon-roberts/308361/|title = R. Roberts|website=Soccerway|accessdate=21 May 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://fulltime.thefa.com/statsForPlayer.html?selectedSeasonID=0&personID=8104669&selectedStatisticDisplayMode=2&selectedOrgStatRecordingTypeID_ForSort=|title = Rhiannon Roberts Player Stats – FA|accessdate=21 May 2023}}</ref>
''Some entries may be missing or incomplete due to lack of historical statistics.''
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center" |+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition |- !rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|National cup{{efn|Includes the Women's FA Cup}} !colspan="2"|League cup{{efn|Includes the WSL Cup/Women's League Cup and FA Women's National League Cup}} !colspan="2"|Total |- !Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |rowspan="6"|Blackburn Rovers |2008–09 |rowspan="2"|WPL |4||0||0||0||0||0||4||0 |- |2009–10 |19||1||0||0||1||0||20||1 |- |2010–11 |WPL (Tier 2) |13||1||0||0||1||0||14||1 |- |2011–12 |rowspan="2"|WPL Northern Division |3||0||0||0||0||0||3||0 |- |2012–13 |15||1||0||0||5||0||20||1 |- !colspan="2"|Total !54!!3!!0!!0!!7!!0!!61!!3 |- |rowspan="7"|Doncaster Rovers Belles |2013 |WSL |9||0||0||0||0||0||9||0 |- |2014 |rowspan="2"|WSL 2 |12||1||2||0||5||0||19||1 |- |2015 |16||2||2||0||5||0||23||2 |- |2016 |WSL |16||1||1||0||2||0||19||2 |- |2017 |rowspan="2"|WSL 2 |2||0||0||0||colspan="2"|-||2||0 |- |2017–18 |16||3||1||0||4||0||21||3 |- !colspan="2"|Total !71!!7!!6!!0!!16!!0!!86!!7 |- |rowspan="6"|Liverpool |2018–19 |rowspan="2"|WSL |8||0||2||0||2||0||12||0 |- |2019–20 |12||0||0||0||3||1||15||1 |- |2020–21 |rowspan="2"|Championship |19||0||1||0||2||0||22||0 |- |2021–22 |17||0||2||0||5||0||24||0 |- |2022–23 |WSL |19||1||0||0||3||1||22||2 |- !colspan="2"|Total !75!!1!!5!!0!!15!!2!!95!!3 |- |rowspan="3"|Real Betis Féminas |2023–24 |rowspan="2"|Liga F |25||2||1||0||||||26||2 |- |2024–25 |24||1||1||0||||||25||1 |- !colspan="2"|Total !26!!2!!1!!0!!!!!!51!!3 |- !colspan="3"|Career total !250!!14!!13!!0!!38!!2!!293!!16 |} {{notelist}}
===International=== {{Updated|matches played 8 September 2024, statistics from the Football Association of Wales}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+ Appearances and goals by national team and year |- !National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals |- |rowspan="11"|Wales |2015||4||0 |- |2016||3||0 |- |2017||5||0 |- |2018||8||0 |- |2019||8||1 |- |2020||5||0 |- |2021||9||0 |- |2022||14||1 |- |2023||9||0 |- |2024||10||0 |- |2025||4||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total!!79!!2 |}
:''Scores and results list Wales' goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Roberts goal.''
{| class="wikitable sortable" |+ List of international goals scored by Rhiannon Roberts |- !scope="col"|No. !scope="col"|Date !scope="col"|Venue !scope="col"|Opponent !scope="col"|Score !scope="col"|Result !scope="col"|Competition |- | style="text-align:center"|1 || 29 August 2019 || Tórsvøllur, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands || {{fbw|FRO}} || style="text-align:center"|'''6'''–0 || style="text-align:center"|6–0 || UEFA Women's Euro 2022 qualifying |- | style="text-align:center"|2 || 11 October 2022 || Letzigrund, Zürich, Switzerland || {{fbw|SUI}} || style="text-align:center"|'''1'''–0 || style="text-align:center"|1–2 {{aet}} || 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification - UEFA play-offs |- | style="text-align:center"|3 || 14 April 2026 || Racecourse Ground, Wrexham, Wales || rowspan=2| {{fbw|ALB}} || style="text-align:center"|'''3'''–0 || style="text-align:center"|4–0 || rowspan=2| 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification |- | style="text-align:center"|4 || 18 April 2026 || Elbasan Arena, Elbasan, Albania || style="text-align:center"|'''1'''–0 || style="text-align:center"|1–0 |}
==Honours== '''Liverpool''' *Championship: 2021–22
'''Doncaster Rovers Belles''' *WSL 2: Winner: 2017–18, Runner-Up: 2014, 2015, 2017
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category}} * {{Sports links}}
{{Sunderland A.F.C. Women squad}} {{Wales squad UEFA Women's Euro 2025}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Roberts, Rhiannon}} Category:Living people Category:1990 births Category:Welsh women's footballers Category:Wales women's international footballers Category:English women's footballers Category:England women's under-23 international footballers Category:English people of Welsh descent Category:Blackburn Rovers W.F.C. players Category:Doncaster Rovers Belles L.F.C. players Category:Liverpool F.C. Women players Category:Footballers from Chester Category:FA Women's National League players Category:Women's Super League players Category:21st-century Welsh sportswomen Category:Women's association football central defenders Category:Welsh expatriate women's footballers Category:Welsh expatriate sportspeople in Spain Category:Expatriate women's footballers in Spain Category:Liga F players Category:Real Betis Féminas players Category:21st-century English sportswomen Category:UEFA Women's Euro 2025 players Category:Women's Super League 2 players Category:Sunderland A.F.C. Women players