Canadian international Olivia Smith scores spectacular goal in debut for Arsenal
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LONDON – Canadian Olivia Smith lived up to her one-million-pound ($1.9 million) transfer fee with a spectacular goal Saturday in her debut for Arsenal.
The 21-year-old from Whitby, Ont., opened the scoring for Arsenal in a 4-1 win over the London City Lionesses, dribbling past a defender before hammering a right-footed shot from outside the penalty box into the top corner of the goal with Spanish ‘keeper Elene Lete rooted to the spot.
The highlight-reel strike at Emirates Stadium came on the opening day of the Women’s Super League season in England.
Smith was named player of the match.
“Honestly, I couldn’t ask for a better way to start,” Smith told the Arsenal website. “I think with the support of my teammates, the staff and the fans, it made it so much sweeter. So, it was a great, great game.
“It was definitely an unreal atmosphere and something I’ve never felt before. So for me, to score a goal like that and to rile up the whole crowd, it was amazing.”
Arsenal coach Renée Slegers liked what she saw of the Canadian.
“We’re really happy with Olivia and she did a lot of really good things,” she said. “She brings a lot of threat.”
Smith joined Arsenal from Liverpool in July for a then-women’s world-record transfer fee of one million pounds, surpassing the 900,000 pounds ($1.7 million) Chelsea paid for American defender Naomi Girma from San Diego Wave in January.
Orlando Pride of the NWSL subsequently paid Mexico’s Tigres UANL 1.1 million pounds ($2.1 million) for Mexico winger Lizbeth Ovalle. London City may have since broken that record in acquiring France international Grace Geyoro from Paris St-Germain, according to reports.
Smith, who played one season at Penn State, turned pro with Sporting Lisbon in 2023 and was named the Portuguese league’s Young Player of the Season after scoring 16 goals in 28 appearances. She moved to Liverpool last year and was voted the team’s 2024-25 Player of the Season after scoring nine times in 25 games.
Smith, who became Canada’s youngest international when she made her debut in 2019 at the age of 15, has three goals and three assists in 18 senior appearances for Canada.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 6, 2025.