QueenBallers
News The Best Players Results Movies
Denise O'Sullivan
Denise
O'Sullivan
Feb 4, 1994
#10 - Midfielder

Denise Rebecca O'Sullivan is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for National Women's Soccer League club North Carolina Courage, which she captains, and the Republic of Ireland national team.

Did You Know?

She grew up in Knocknaheeny, a working-class neighborhood in Cork.
She is the youngest of ten children in her family. Her mother is her biggest role model, and she admires her for being able to raise all ten kids.
She learned to play football on the streets with her siblings.
As a kid, she would come home from school, eat, put on her boots, and play for hours until her mother called her in.
As a kid, she looked up to Roy Keane, a fellow Cork footballer.
She played on a boys' team since she was 6, until she had to leave at age 11 due to rules against mixed-gender teams.
Some boys didn't want her playing football, but she used that as motivation to prove them wrong. She believes her quick passing skills came from playing against boys who were faster and stronger.
In 2016, she became the first player Glasgow City ever received a transfer fee for, when she moved to Houston Dash.
She earned the nickname “Junkyard” from her coach due to her aggressive playing style.
She played for Ireland’s U-17 team that finished second at the 2010 UEFA Women's Under-17 Championship.
She was included in The Guardian’s "100 Best Female Footballers in the World" in 2019.
Her nickname is 'Suly'.
She loves lattes, plain and simple.
Her mornings start with coffee first thing, followed by breakfast, recovery, and sometimes a walk.
On rest days, she hangs out with some of her teammates and her boyfriend, just chilling and letting her body recover.
One of her favorite tattoos is a map of Ireland with a small heart over Cork, symbolizing her love for her hometown and country.
Her favorite movie is The Hangover.
She got engaged to her partner James in March 2025.

Best Actions

Denise O'Sullivan's game-winning goal

DENISE O'SULLIVAN | Some of her best goals!

Ashley Sanchez puts in the work and Denise O'Sullivan finishes the opportunity spectacularly

Denise O'Sullivan Goal: North Carolina Courage vs. Houston Dash

Club Achievements

Scottish Women's Premier League: 2013, 2014, 2015 3×
SWPL Cup: 2014, 2015 2×
Scottish Women's Cup: 2013, 2014, 2015 3×
NWSL Championship: 2018, 2019 2×
NWSL Shield: 2017, 2018, 2019 3×
NWSL Challenge Cup: 2022, 2023 2×

Awards

WNL Best XI: 2011–12
1×
Echo Sportswoman of the Year: 2014
1×
SWPL Players' Player of the Year: 2014
1×
FAI Senior International Player of the Year: 2015, 2020
2×
PFA Ireland Senior International Player of the Year: 2018, 2019, 2020
3×
NC Courage Most Valuable Player: 2018, 2019
2×
RTÉ Sports Person of the Year shortlist: 2019
1×
NWSL Players' Team of the Year: 2019
1×
The Irish Times/Sport Ireland Sportswoman of Month: November 2019
1×
W-League Player of the Month: December 2019
1×
Cork Person of the Month: January 2023[
1×
NWSL Best XI Second Team: 2023
1×
Echo Sportswoman of the Month: July 2024
1×

Stats

Year Club AP GL
2017
-
present
North Carolina Courage 171 5
2020
-
 Brighton & Hove Albion (loan) 11 0
2019
-
2020
Western Sydney Wanderers (loan) 7 1
2018
-
2019
Canberra United (loan) 7 0
2016
-
2017
Houston Dash 29 2
2013
-
2016
Glasgow City 65 33
2012
-
2013
Cork City 11 2
2012
-
 Peamount United 0 0
2011
-
2012
Cork City 15 6
2011
-
 Peamount United 0 0
International Stats
2011
-
present
Republic of Ireland 120 22

Team: North Carolina Courage

Maycee Bell
defender
Maycee
Bell
Malia Berkely
defender
Malia
Berkely
Hannah Betfort
forward
Hannah
Betfort
Sydney Collins
defender
Sydney
Collins
Brooklyn Courtnall
defender
Brooklyn
Courtnall
Aline Gomes
forward
Aline
Gomes
Hensley Hancuff
goalkeeper
Hensley
Hancuff
Riley Jackson
midfielder
Riley
Jackson
Marisa Jordan
goalkeeper
Marisa
Jordan
Shinomi Koyama
midfielder
Shinomi
Koyama
Kaleigh Kurtz
defender
Kaleigh
Kurtz
Tyler Lussi
forward
Tyler
Lussi
Heather MacNab
forward
Heather
MacNab
Manaka Matsukubo
midfielder
Manaka
Matsukubo
Charlotte McLean
defender
Charlotte
McLean
Casey Murphy
goalkeeper
Casey
Murphy
Amber Nguyen
midfielder
Amber
Nguyen
Denise O'Sullivan
midfielder
Denise
O'Sullivan
Brianna Pinto
midfielder
Brianna
Pinto
Feli Rauch
defender
Feli
Rauch
Ashley Sanchez
midfielder
Ashley
Sanchez
Jaedyn Shaw
midfielder
Jaedyn
Shaw
Meredith Speck
midfielder
Meredith
Speck
Natalia Staude
defender
Natalia
Staude
Cortnee Vine
forward
Cortnee
Vine
Dani Weatherholt
midfielder
Dani
Weatherholt
Ryan Williams
defender
Ryan
Williams
Olivia Wingate
forward
Olivia
Wingate
→ ←