Who is Olivia Smith? Meet first women’s footballer to get $1Million+ transfer, exploring her journey to the top and more

Olivia Smith is one of the most exciting young players in women’s football. The Canadian forward has already achieved major milestones at just 22. She became the first £1m ($1.36m) women’s footballer when Arsenal signed her from Liverpool in a world-record deal. Smith had joined Liverpool only one season earlier for a club-record £210,000 ($286,000) fee.Smith’s rise has been built on talent, hard work and sacrifices made from a very young age. She made her Canada debut at only 15 and has continued to develop under intense attention. In 2025, she became the first woman to score for Liverpool at Anfield in a Women’s Super League match. She has since settled at Arsenal and remains determined to win major trophies.Who is Olivia Smith? Olivia Smith grew up in Whitby, Canada, and was encouraged to play football by her father, Sean. She moved between local clubs and played with boys until she was 12. She continued training with boys even after joining a girls’ team.Her family background also gave her a strong connection to football. Her father is Jamaican, while her mother is Chilean and Peruvian. Smith has said football culture from both sides of her family influenced her style.Smith also tried several other sports while growing up. She practiced taekwondo and gymnastics. These experiences later helped her football career by improving her discipline, agility and flexibility.“I did taekwondo as a kid. I was getting bullied in school so it was more of a defensive mechanism kind of thing,” Smith told BBC.She said gymnastics helped her agility, while taekwondo taught her discipline. She also believes those sports helped her develop mental toughness.Her father played an important role in her development. He filmed her games, reviewed performances with her and kept a diary of her goals. Smith said he recorded when she scored and still has the diary today.Smith also had to make difficult decisions as a teenager. At 15, she moved to Michigan alone to continue her football development. Leaving home meant being separated from friends and family, but the experience prepared her for professional football.Olivia Smith becomes first women’s footballer to get £1m transfer Olivia Smith's sacrifices eventually helped her reach the professional stage. Smith made her Canada debut at 15 and later became one of the country’s most promising footballers. Liverpool signed her for £210,000 ($286,000) before Arsenal made the record-breaking £1m ($1.36m) move.At Liverpool, Smith made history by becoming the first woman to score for the club at Anfield in a WSL match in October 2025. Her performances also earned her consecutive PFA Women’s Young Player of the Year awards.Now at Arsenal, Smith has found greater stability. She is beginning a second season with the club after years of moving between teams and countries. She has described Arsenal as a place that feels like home.At only 22, Smith has already broken financial and sporting records. Yet her story is also about the sacrifices made long before she became a professional.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.