Natasha Anasi

Icelandic and American footballer (born 1991)

Natasha Anasi
Personal information
Full name Natasha Moraa Anasi[1]
Date of birth (1991-10-02) 2 October 1991 (age 32)
Place of birth Irving, Texas, United States
Height 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
Position(s) Defender, midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Valur
Number 3
Youth career
Martin High School
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2013 Duke Blue Devils 97 (4)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2016 ÍBV 44 (6)
2017–2021 Keflavík 72 (34)
2022 Breiðablik 18 (3)
2023–2024 Brann 12 (0)
2024– Valur 0 (0)
International career‡
2012 United States U23[2]
2020– Iceland 6 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19 July 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19 July 2024

Natasha Moraa Anasi-Erlingsson (born 2 October 1991) is a professional footballer who plays as a defender for Valur of the Besta deild kvenna.

Born and raised in the United States, Anasi played college football for the Duke Blue Devils before moving to Iceland in 2014, where she joined Úrvalsdeild kvenna club ÍBV.[3] She moved to fellow Icelandic club Keflavík ÍF in 2017.[4] After receiving Icelandic citizenship in December 2019, Anasi made her international debut for the Iceland national team in March 2020.[5]

Early life

Anasi was born on 2 October 1991, in Irving, Texas, to John and Jane Anasi.[6] She has two brothers, one younger (Andre) and one older (Kevin), and a younger sister (Stephanie).[6] She is of Kenyan descent.[7]

College career

From 2010 to 2013, Anasi played college football for the Duke Blue Devils. During the four seasons, she appeared in 97 games, netting 4 goals. In 2011, she was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year.[6]

Club career

Anasi joined ÍBV in 2014 and played with the team for three seasons. In 2016, she helped ÍBV to the Icelandic Cup final where the team lost to Breiðablik.[5] In 2017, she joined Keflavík.[8] After playing the majority of her career as a defender, she moved to the midfielder position after joining Keflavík.[9][10]

In November 2021, Anasi signed with Úrvalsdeild club Breiðablik.[11]

In October 2022, Anasi signed with Brann[12] and formally joined the team on 1 January 2023. She missed most of the 2023 season due to an achilles injury.[13]

In July 2024, Anasi returned to Iceland and signed with Valur.[14]

National team career

Anasi trained with the United States U-18 team during the spring of 2010. She trained with the United States U-23 team in the spring of 2012 and 2013. The later year, she traveled with the U-23 team to La Manga, Spain, to play in the Four Nations Tournament.

In 2019, Anasi received an Icelandic citizenship and in February 2020, she was selected to the Icelandic national team for the first time.[8] On 4 March 2020, Anasi made her senior debut for Iceland in a 1–0 friendly win against Northern Ireland.[15] On 20 February 2022, she scored her first goal for Iceland when she scored the first goal in Iceland's 2–1 victory against Czech Republic.[16] Her first start for Iceland came in a 3-0 victory against Germany on 12 July 2024.[17]

International goals

No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 20 February 2022 Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, United States  Czech Republic 1–0 2–1 2022 SheBelieves Cup

Personal life

Anasi is married to Icelandic basketball coach Rúnar Ingi Erlingsson.[18]

References

  1. ^ "Natasha Moraa Anasi | UEFA Women's Champions League". UEFA. Archived from the original on 24 January 2023. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  2. ^ "Anasi Concludes Travels With the U-23 National Team". Duke University. 21 June 2012. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
  3. ^ "Iceland - N. Anasi - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
  4. ^ "Natasha Anasi :: Natasha Moraa Anasi :: Keflavík". www.playmakerstats.com. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
  5. ^ a b Sóley Guðmundsdóttir (20 August 2020). "Natasha Moraa Anasi fékk íslenskan ríkisborgararétt í fyrra – Stefnir að því að komast aftur í íslenska landsliðið". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  6. ^ a b c "Natasha Anasi - 2013 - Women's Soccer". goduke.com. Duke Blue Devils. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
  7. ^ @NatashaAnasi (23 September 2011). "@NaiElah You had a Kenyan dinner?? Girl, you need an authentic one cooked by my momma. I'll hook you up #jealousthough" (Tweet). Retrieved 10 July 2021 – via Twitter.
  8. ^ a b Jóhann Ingi Hafþórsson (13 February 2020). "Ég er stoltur Íslendingur". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  9. ^ Arnar Daði Arnarsson (25 June 2019). "Best í 7. umferð: Draumurinn minn að verða Íslendingur". Fótbolti.net (in Icelandic). Retrieved 22 April 2021.
  10. ^ Sæbjörn Þór Þórbergsson Steinke (11 March 2021). "Hin hliðin - Natasha Anasi (Keflavík)". Fótbolti.net (in Icelandic). Retrieved 22 April 2021.
  11. ^ Brynjar Ingi Erluson (31 October 2021). "Natasha Anasi í Breiðablik (Staðfest) - ekki lögleg í Meistaradeildinni". Fótbolti.net (in Icelandic). Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  12. ^ "Fer frá Breiðabliki til norsku meistaranna". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 31 October 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  13. ^ "Landsliðskonan til liðs við Val". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 17 July 2024. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
  14. ^ Guðmundur Aðalsteinn Ásgeirsson (18 July 2024). "Natasha Anasi í Val (Staðfest)". Fótbolti.net (in Icelandic). Retrieved 19 July 2024.
  15. ^ "Northern Ireland vs. Iceland - 4 March 2020 - Women Soccerway". us.women.soccerway.com. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
  16. ^ Sindri Sverrisson (21 February 2022). "Sjáðu fyrsta mark Natöshu fyrir Ísland og laglegan lokahnykk Selmu". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  17. ^ Jóhann Ingi Hafþórsson (12 July 2024). "Mun ávallt muna eftir þessari tilfinningu". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). Retrieved 19 July 2024.
  18. ^ Jóhann Ingi Hafþórsson (31 October 2022). "Verður áfram með Njarðvík". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  • v
  • t
  • e
Atlantic Coast Conference Women's Soccer Player of the Year
Player of the Year
Offensive Player of the Year
Defensive Player of the Year
Midfielder of the Year
Goalkeeper of the Year
  • 2022: Roque
  • 2023: Mackiewicz