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With 71 international football caps under her belt, and a range of club trophies, Anita Asante was a formidable footballer defender who won titles for clubs in England, the USA, and Sweden.
Anita Asante started her football career at Arsenal, and was part of the team that won the historical quadruple in 2007, something that no English team has repeated since. Her club career also saw her play for Chelsea, Sky Blue FC, Göteborg FC, FC Rosengård, and Aston Villa.
She is now a popular commentator and pundit, regularly seen on the BBC, TNT Sport, ITV Sport, and Sky Sports.
She was inducted into the Women’s Super League Hall of Fame in 2023 in recognition of her commitment to football.
Away from the pitch, Anita has become a familiar face in the media, working for the BBC, ITV and Sky Sports. She is also a columnist for the Guardian.
Anita Asante is now a highly sought-after sports speaker, sharing her passion for diversity and inclusion, equality and anti-discrimination.
Contact Great British Speakers today to book Anita Asante for your next corporate event. Call +44 1753 439289.
Anita’s club career started in 1998 when she joined Arsenal FC, and went on to win the Quadruple in 2007 – something that has not been done since. She stayed there for a decade before joining Chelsea FC. Anita then moved to the USA and played for Sky Blue FC in 2009, and then Sweden, playing for Göteborg FC and FC RosengĂĄrd.
Anita Asante returned to England in 2018 and re-signed for Chelsea, before ending her career after two years playing for Aston Villa, in 2022. Throughout her club career, she held five league titles, four FA Cups, and two League Cups – it’s not surprise she was then inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2023.

Anita first played in the England Under 17 team and then the England Under 19s where she played at the inaugural FIFA World Under 19 Championship in 2002. She made her senior international debut in 2004 against Iceland, and scored her first goal in only her second full international match in 2005. She would go on to play in major international tournaments such as World Cups and Euro Championships.
In 2012 she was named in the Great Britain squad for the 2012 London Olympics, and played in all four games until they were beaten in the round of the last eight.
Since leaving professional football playing, Anita Asante has become a football coach, and in 2022 was announced as the first team coach of Women’s Championship side Bristol City W.F.C., and saw them be promoted to the Women’s Super League and win the 2023 Barclays Women’s Championship.
Whilst with Arsenal, Anita was part of the team who won the:
– UEFA Women’s Cup 2007
– FA Women’s Cup 2004, 06, 07, 08
– FA Women’s National Premier League 2004-2008
– FA Women’s Premier League Cup 2005, 2007
She was then part of the Göteborg teams who won the Svenska Cupen in 2012 and 2016, and the Svenska Supercupen 2013 and 2015.
Individually, Anita was the recipient of the Outstanding Achievement Award in 2006, presented by the late Queen Elizabeth II; she was also named Player of the Year 2003/04, given the Sports Award at the Ghana Professional Awards 2004, and named the Player of the Month for March 2006.
Since retiring from professional football, she has become a popular commentator, presenter, and pundit with the BBC, ITV, and Sky Sports, covering the UEFA Women’s Euros, World Cups, and Champions League matches. She has also been seen on Football Focus, been a guest on BBC Radio 5 Live, and written columns for The Guardian.
Anita is a passionate advocate for diversity in sport, and is an Ambassador for Show Racism the Red Card and Amnesty International. Alongside her role as coach, she works with the FA to encourage young girls to get involved in football at grassroots level.
She is also openly lesbian and is married to a fellow sports reporter Beth Fisher, and has forged a reputation for her advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community and for anti-discrimination.

Anita has carved out a successful career as a keynote speaker, working with brands such as the Bank of America, JP Morgan, and Peloton. Passionate to see that the LGBTQ+ community is further accepted, she regularly speaks out in the media about the discrimination that the community continues to face.
A highly sought-after speaker, she is well qualified to share her experiences, covering everything including:
– Leadership
– Diversity and Equality
– The Challenges of Being a Woman in a Male Dominated Industry
– Understanding Pressure
– LGBTQ+ and Race
Call +44 1753 439 289 or email Great British Speakers now to book Anita Asante for your next corporate event. Â Contact us.
Anita Asante spoke at MAD//Fest 2019 and was inspirational, candid and engaging. Her background in professional sport added hugely to a discussion at a marketing event on daring to be different and breaking boundaries. The feedback on this session was amazing and I couldn’t recommend Anita enough!
Dan, Co-Founder, MAD//Fest London
Anita Asante was a great fantastic addition to our FA Pride Inside 2020 panel event in June. Anita’s experience as an elite athlete provided an amazing insight from not just a performance perspective, but importantly specifically on how that intersected with elements of her identity. She facilitated in the successful delivery of a very informative and authentic panel.
Jehmeil, Diversity & Inclusion Officer, The Football Association
Anita joined our final Festival of Football panel in July 2019 and was such a valuable participant. A passionate advocate for equality and anti-discrimination, Anita is an incredibly knowledgeable and eloquent speaker. Anita’s strength is in being able to articulate powerful and original thought in an accessible and engaging manner.
Esther, Head of Policy, Fare Network Ltd