Karen Carney, Eniola Aluko and Katie Chapman have had their names etched into the history books, earning formal recognition for their achievements in, and contributions to, the Women’s Super League during their illustrious careers.

Last year, the FA launched the Women’s Super League Hall of Fame to celebrate the 10th anniversary of its formation, with the goal being to recognise individuals who have made a significant impact on the league.

We celebrate the impact our inductees made at Chelsea, also paying tribute to their role as pioneers on the international stage for England.

Karen Carney MBE

This morning, we celebrate the induction of former Blues skipper, Karen Carney, to the WSL Hall of Fame. The Solihull-born playmaker joins this elite group of individuals after a glittering career on both the domestic and international stage.

Carney signed for Chelsea in 2016, winning the Player of the Year award in her first season and, despite battling injury problems helped us to a Super League and FA Cup double during the 2017/18 campaign.

She was awarded the captaincy upon the retirement of Katie Chapman in 2018, playing a pivotal role in helping us to reach the UEFA Women’s Champions League semi-final stages during the 2018/19 season.

On the international stage, Carney represented England at four World Cups and Team GB at the 2012 London Olympic Games. She was part of the Lionesses team who clinched a bronze medal at the 2015 World Cup in Canada, becoming one of England’s all-time greats.

This success was underlined when she was awarded an MBE in January 2017, a proud moment for Carney who also represented her hometown club Birmingham City, as well as Arsenal and Chicago Red Stars during her stellar career.

Everyone at Chelsea Football Club would like to congratulate Karen on a wonderful playing career and today’s fantastic personal achievement, while wishing her continued success for future endeavours.

Eniola Aluko

This afternoon, we celebrate the induction of former Blues forward, Eniola Aluko, to the WSL Hall of Fame. After first putting on the Chelsea shirt in 2007, Aluko has gone on to forge new ground on and off the field for both club and country.

After a spell in the United States, Aluko returned to Chelsea ahead of the 2013 campaign, when the club went from second bottom to second place in the Women’s Super League, a statement of progression and renewed ambition.

In 2015, Aluko became the first recipient of the Chelsea Women’s Player of the Year prize. She followed up this personal accolade by winning a bronze medal with England at the 2015 World Cup, a landmark moment which captured the imagination of the nation.

Upon her return to club duties, Aluko starred in the first-ever Women’s FA Cup final to be held at Wembley Stadium. She assisted Ji So-Yun’s winning goal, scooping the Player of the Match award as we secured our first piece of silverware in the club’s history – but this was just the beginning.

The WSL title followed in 2015, when Aluko played an influential role in helping us towards a domestic Double that year. This team had a taste for trophies and we secured another domestic Double during the 2017/18 campaign, where Aluko bowed out with her 68th and final goal for the club.

Aluko achieved significant milestones during her career, including 150 appearances for the Blues, being the WSL’s top scorer in 2016 and earning a century of caps for England.

Everyone at Chelsea sends their congratulations to Eniola on entering the Hall of Fame and wish her every success for the future.

Katie Chapman

Our third and final inductee of the day is one of the most decorated players in the women’s game, Katie Chapman, who played an integral role in helping Chelsea Women become part of the elite, not only in England, but also Europe.

In 2014, Chapman joined the Blues during a time where the level of the playing squad was improving, but a winning mentality was missing. We finished in the bottom three the first three years after switching to a summer season with the Women’s Super League.

The acquisition of Chapman, who was immediately handed the captain’s armband, alongside Gilly Flaherty and Ji So-Yun made a huge statement to the rest of the WSL. We were evolving into title challengers and strides were being taken all the time to build foundations for future success.

Chapman’s leadership was vital as the Blues secured the domestic Double in 2015 and the Spring Series in 2017. Individual accolades highlighted her impact on the game, claiming both the FA International Player of the Year and FA Young Player of the Year prizes twice, during 22 years at the highest level.

On the international stage, Chapman was part of the Lionesses team which won bronze at the 2015 World Cup in Canada – a watershed moment for the sport in this country. She represented England at one other World Cup and three European Championships, racking up 94 caps in total.

A glittering career has seen Chapman earn pioneering status in the game. Everyone connected with Chelsea sends their congratulations to Katie on today’s individual accolade, while extending our best wishes for the future.