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At just 21 years old, Manchester United midfielder Grace Clinton has already put her stamp on women’s football. Clinton has been playing professionally since she was 16.
The Liverpool native has played for Everton, Manchester United, Bristol City, Tottenham, and has most recently made her return to United.
In just her first two games with the club, she’s scored in both games, and helped the club secure back-to-back wins. Since she was a teenager, Clinton has been in a professional environment learning from those around her. She recallsthat when she was a rookie professional at Everton she got herself into a daily game of two touch with Toni Duggen and Kenzie Weir.
“My welcome to the pros moment was when I would play two touch with [Toni] and [Kenzie] every day, and whoever loses would have to get coffee,” Clinton told INDIVISA. “I don’t think I ever won a game of two touch that year.”
Clinton would go on to buy coffee for her teammates for the next year, and quickly learn what she needed to do to compete and play at the highest level. The Adidas athlete’s upbringing involved playing football in her family’s garden, trying to juggle the ball in the kitchen, and getting yelled at - and playing many other sports, as well, but being the very best at football.
“I was sporty,” Clinton said. “I did enjoy everything, and I went to an all-girls school, so sports weren't as popular to play, so that made me look better than I was [at a lot of activities]. It wasn’t hard for me to choose football.”
Maybe in a different life tennis would have been Clinton’s sport, but for now she’s very content and locked into her football career. Growing up, she didn’t have as much visibility into women's players, so she idolised Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard.
“I wanted to be like them,” she said.
Clinton was recognized as PFA Young Player of the Year, an award that is solely voted on by players, for players. After a loan spell with Tottenham, Clinton scored four goals, and chipped in four assists for an unbelievable first campaign with the club. Clinton was also named England’s senior squad in 2024, a nod that clearly came after Sarina Wiegman closely observed the impressive performances in the WSL.
“That was a very surreal moment,” she said. “Naturally, you just sit there and think about every player in the league, but to have been voted by other players in the league, not just fans, to know that these top players have voted for you, that moment was very surreal for me.”
Perhaps from years playing in the garden, or juggling around her parents’ ornaments, she taps into her creative side on the pitch.
“I’d say my biggest strength is my creativity," she said. "I’m quite unpredictable in how I play, you don’t really know what I’m going to do.”
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While Clinton’s game is dynamic and innovative, she is at her best the pitch feels calm, and she has ultimate control and composure.
“A good game looks like there is not a lot going on in my mind," she said. "I’m forward-thinking, not a lot of chatter, I’m just calm and composed.”
Clinton's goals include having consistency across her game.
"Last year I was on the wing," she said, "but this year I want to up my game and be more box to box. I want to do the defensive work as much as the attacking work.”