As the US prepare for their upcoming friendlies against Iceland and Argentina , they will do so with one of the best right-backs in the world within their ranks. In the last three years, Emily Fox has ascended from just starting out in the NWSL to now being a first name on the team sheet for club and country. But who is Emily Fox? Where did her love for the game come from? And why is she now playing for Arsenal, on the other side of the world?
Born in Ashburn, Virginia, Fox was always set on being a sporting success. Despite her proficiency in long-distance running and gymnastics, soccer was always the path Fox had set her sights on. The prospect of competing with others, united as a team, and supporting each other drew Fox to the beautiful game. She had been kicking a soccer ball since the age of five, and such was her talent by 14, she had already been offered the chance to trial with Arsenal. The chance was passed up then, but her path to North London had already begun.
Emily Fox's Arsenal journey begins at the North Carolina Tar Heels
After graduating a year early in 2017, Fox enrolled at the University of North Carolina, playing College Soccer for the Carolina Tar Heels. While with the Tar Heels, her future bond with the Arsenal only grew, as Lotte Wubben-Moy and Alessia Russo enrolled at UNC at the same time. The three would work together to win the 2019 Atlantic Coast Conference for the Tar Heels.
Fox provided 11 assists throughout the tournament, the most in the team. She set up Wubben-Moy’s first goal in the quarterfinal against Notre Dame Fighting Irish and won the penalty, which Wubben-Moy converted for her second of the match, sealing a 3-0 win . In the final against Virginia Cavaliers, a clever ball over the defense by Fox in overtime sent Russo clear to score the winner, clinching the cup for Tar Heels .
The Rookie at Racing Louisville, as Emily Fox joins the NWSL
In 2021, Fox went professional and was drafted by Racing Louisville FC in the NWSL. It was a tough season for Racing Louisville, finishing ninth, and thus missing out on the playoffs. However, Fox’s talents did not go unnoticed. She recorded a league-high 115 interceptions and was nominated for Rookie of the Year, although she missed out to Washington Spirit’s Trinity Rodman.
After two seasons at Racing Louisville, she was traded to North Carolina Courage. In her sole season at the club, Fox won her first piece of major silverware, the NWSL Challenge Cup . She played in the final, winning 2-0 against her former employers.
World Cup woes for Emily Fox, as the United States lose their crown
As Fox’s stock continued to rise in the NWSL, it wasn’t long before her national team looked to try to integrate her within their set-up. Vlatko Andonovski, the US head coach at the time, gave Fox her first start in the US team in November in a friendly against Portugal . Fox had mainly played as a left-back in club soccer, but Andonvoski used her on the right of his backline instead. It was a move that changed Fox’s career, as she has remained there to this date. In April 2023, against the Republic of Ireland, Fox scored her first goal for her country, a well-executed drive from the edge of the box.
Having become the nailed-on starter in the US National Team, Fox was part of the squad at the 2023 World Cup. Whilst the tournament was ultimately a disaster for the US, Fox was a key figure in an impressive defense that only conceded one goal in the four games they played. In their quarterfinal against Sweden , Fox was withdrawn in the final minute to allow Kelly O’Hara to take a penalty in the shootout. O’Hara missed, and future Arsenal teammate Lina Hurtig scored to knock the reigning champions out of the World Cup.
From North Carolina to North London, Emily Fox moves to Arsenal
In December 2023, Emily Fox was invited to Emirates Stadium to watch Arsenal play Chelsea. Arsenal thrashed Chelsea 4-1 , with fellow Tar Heels alumnus Russo scoring a brace in front of just over 59,000 fans. In an interview with Arsenal , she explained how the crowd numbers and the support had come as a surprise.
“I was at the Arsenal vs Chelsea game before the break’ recounts Fox, ‘and to be at the Emirates and to be seeing a sold-out crowd for a league match, it was unbelievable. The environment, the fans, it was something I had never experienced before.”
Fox is something of an outlier. While most of the US National Team ply their trade in the NWSL, Fox always aspired to play elsewhere. After three years playing in the States, Fox had decided to abandon her home comforts and look for a fresh challenge on the European continent.
“I’d always wanted to go overseas and to really play for a top club, like Arsenal, and gain that experience.”
In January 2024, Fox made the move from North Carolina to North London, reuniting with her fellow Tar Heels, Wubben-Moy and Russo. An immediate fan favorite, she made her debut at Meadow Park in their 5-1 FA Cup win against Watford and has quickly become a mainstay in the defense.
Plenty of success already, but Emily Fox wants more
It has been a successful 2024 for Fox. With Arsenal, she won the League Cup , her first piece of English silverware. In October, she scored here first goal for the club in a 4-1 win against Valerenga in the UWCL. For the US, under new manager Emma Hayes, Fox won gold at the Paris Summer Olympics , playing in every game, including the final against Brazil. The story is far from over, however, and the appetite for success remains as strong as ever. 2024 may be nearing its end, but next year will provide yet another opportunity for Fox to continue to shine.
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