Maren Nævdal Mjelde (; born 6 November 1989) is a Norwegian professional footballer who plays as a defender or midfielder for Arna-Bjørnar.
She has won several titles while playing with Chelsea, including the Super League and the FA Cup. In addition, she played for Norway both in the Euro in 2009 and 2013, where Norway got bronze and silver, respectively.
Club career
Arna-Bjørnar (2005–2012) Mjelde was born in Bergen. She joined the Norwegian club, Arna-Bjørnar, as a 15-year-old in 2005. She made her debut in the Toppserien in 2006 at the age of 16 and played a total of 155 league games until 2012, in which she scored 49 goals. The club finished the 2012 Toppserien league in third place, earning the bronze medal that year.Operational data according to The Football Studio, Women's Norway database (as of June 19, 2014)
Turbine Potsdam (2013–2014) Mjelde transferred to the German club Turbine Potsdam before the 2013 season. She played all the club's matches as captain in the latter part of the season, when they reached the runner-up position in the German Cup and League competitions.
Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC In May 2014 she announced that she would be moving to Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC in the Swedish Damallsvenskan on July 1, 2014. Mjelde signed a contract in Gothenburg until the end of 2015. She played nine games in the Damallsvenskan.
Avaldsnes IL She then returned to Norway to play for Avaldsnes IL. With the club she was runner-up twice and took part in qualifying for the 2016/17 Champions League. With three wins, the club qualified for the round of 16, where they were defeated twice by Olympique Lyon.
Chelsea (2016–2024)
On 22 November 2016, Mjelde signed for Chelsea on a deal until 2018.
On 16 November 2019, Mjelde scored the only goal in Chelsea's historic win versus Manchester United, the first game ever played between these two women's teams in the Super League.
She suffered a knee injury in March 2021 that kept her out for a year.
On 30 March 2023, Chelsea played the second leg in the quarter finals of the Champions League against Lyon, last year’s winner. The score was 1–1 after full-time, so the match went to extra time and Däbritz scored for Lyon in the 110th minute, so Chelsea had to score. At the end of the added time for the second period, Chelsea got a penalty. Mjelde took the penalty and scored. The penalty was the last kick of the match, so it continued to penalty shoot-out, where Mjelde took the first penalty and scored again. Ann-Katrin Berger saved two penalties, which meant that Chelsea was through to the semi-final. During and after the match, Mjelde’s performance was praised by several, including the DAZN commentator, Emma Hayes, and Ian Wright. Hayes said that Mjelde is a Chelsea legend and that you can count on her in the biggest moments.
She won the league with Chelsea in the 2022–23 season.
On 3 May 2024, Mjelde announced her departure from Chelsea at the end of the 2023–24 season, after 7 years at the club.
Return to Arna-Bjørnar (2024) On 13 August 2024, Norwegian club Arna-Bjørnar announced that Mjelde would return to her first professional club and join their squad for the ongoing season.
Everton (2025) On 2 February 2025, Mjelde returned to the WSL after signing with Everton. On 9 May 2025, it was announced that she would be leaving Everton at the end of June after her contract expired.
Arna-Björnar (2025–)
In August 2025, Mjelde returned to Arna-Björnar.
International career Mjelde went through all youth national teams. In 2007 she took part in the European Championship with the U19 team, where she lost 3-0 to England in the semi-finals. Norway qualified for the U20 World Cup in Chile, where they played in all three group games. As third in the group, Norway was unable to qualify for the quarter-finals.
On October 27, 2007, Mjelde made her senior international debut for Norway against Russia. She was selected for 2009 Algarve Cup and then the UEFA Euro 2009, where she made five appearances and reached the semi-finals with her team. In 2010 she finally herself in the senior national team and was used 14 times, again at the Algarve Cup and then in World Cup qualification, where she scored her first goal for Norway against Ukraine. She took part in the 2011 Algarve Cup and the 2011 World Cup.
Mjelde was Norway's vice captain during 2011 and 2012 through the team's qualification campaign for the UEFA Euro 2013 and captained the side in many matches. In the tournament she played at right-back for the first time ever, and captained the team in their match in group B when Norway beat Germany 1–0 on 17 July. Norway lost the final 0–1 to Germany, and Mjelde was included in UEFA's Squad of the Tournament.
Mjelde was selected in Even Pellerud's squad for the 2015 World Cup. She scored the equalizer against Germany in a 1–1 draw in the group stage and played in Norway's second round defeat by England. Mjelde was also part of the squad for the 2015 World Cup . Her direct free kick against Germany was nominated for the most beautiful tournament goal.
At the start of qualifying for the 2017 European Championships, she was appointed captain of the team by new national coach Roger Finjord.
In qualification for the 2019 World Cup, she was one of the eight Norwegians who took part in all eight qualifying games. In the end they became group winners ahead of European champions Netherlands. She had her first tournament success by winning the 2019 Algarve Cup. On May 2 she was nominated for her third World Cup. With 136 international matches, she was the player with the most international matches in the squad. At the World Cup there were five more, in which she led her team onto the field as captain, but was eliminated with them in the quarter-finals against England.
Mjelde was part of the squad that was called up to the UEFA Euro 2022.
She played in decisive game for group victory in qualifying for the 2023 World Cup against Belgium, which was won 1-0, meaning the Norwegians qualified for the World Cup. On 19 June 2023, she was included in the 23-player Norwegian squad for the 2023 World Cup. She played in each of her team's games until they were eliminated in the Round of 16 by Japan.
On 16 June 2025, Mjelde was called up to the Norway squad for the UEFA Women's Euro 2025.
Personal life Mjelde's elder brother, Erik Mjelde, is a former footballer.
Career statistics Club
ClubSeasonLeagueNational cupLeague cupContinentalTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsArna-Bjørnar2005Toppserien2020——402006Toppserien18000——1802007Toppserien22300——2232008Toppserien22800——2282009Toppserien15600——1562010Toppserien21600——2162011Toppserien221110——23112012Toppserien22833——25112024Toppserien 1211212025Toppserien 96962026Toppserien 7373Total1605163——16654Turbine Potsdam2012–13Frauen-Bundesliga11020——1302013–14Frauen-Bundesliga20210—82294Total31230—82424Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC2014Damallsvenskan9000——90Avaldsnes IL2015Toppserien22452——2762016Toppserien22535—513011Total44987—515717Chelsea2017Women's Super League82??——822017–18Women's Super League174??50803042018–19Women's Super League70??20521422019–20Women's Super League1442051—2152020–21Women's Super League1520040322242021–22Women's Super League40200020802022–23Women's Super League714110621842023–24Women's Super League70001021101Total79138118126713122Everton2024–25Women's Super League511020—81Career total340772611201391042599
International
+ Appearances and goals by national team and yearNational teamYearAppsGoalsNorway200710200911020101412011120201210420131612014154201516220161342017152201891201914020204020221012023140202440202540Total18220
Scores and results list Norway's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Mjelde goal.
+ List of international goals scored by Maren MjeldeNo.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition116 June 2012Sarpsborg Stadion, Sarpsborg, Norway3–011–0UEFA Women's Euro 2013 qualifying25–0320 June 20122–0 2–0UEFA Women's Euro 2013 qualifying419 September 2012Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway1–02–1UEFA Women's Euro 2013 qualifying526 October 2013Sarpsborg Stadion, Sarpsborg, Norway3–0 7–0 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification614 June 2014Brann Stadion, Bergen, Norway3–06–0 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification718 June 2014Estádio Marcolino de Castro, Santa Maria da Feira, Portugal2–02–02015 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification813 September 2014Niko Dovana Stadium, Durrës, Albania2–011–02015 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification96–01011 June 2015TD Place Stadium, Ottawa, Canada1–11–12015 FIFA Women's World Cup1223 October 2015Color Line Stadion, Ålesund, Norway4–04–0UEFA Women's Euro 2017 qualifying135 March 2016Het Kasteel, Rotterdam, Netherlands2–04–12016 UEFA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament142 June 2016Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway1–12–2UEFA Women's Euro 2017 qualifying1515 September 2016Aker Stadion, Molde, Norway5–010–0UEFA Women's Euro 2017 qualifying167–0UEFA Women's Euro 2017 qualifying1711 July 2017Stade Louis-Dugauguez, Sedan, France1–11–1Friendly1819 September 2017Sarpsborg Stadion, Sarpsborg, Norway5–06–12019 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification192 March 2018VRS António Sports Complex, Vila Real de Santo António, Portugal2–02–02018 Algarve Cup206 September 2022Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway3–05–02023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification
Honours
Club Arna-Bjørnar
Kniksens Minnefond 2006 Young player of the year 2007
1. FFC Turbine Potsdam Bundesliga: runner up 2013 DFB-Hallenpokal for women: 2013, 2014
Chelsea FA WSL: 2017–18, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24 Women's FA Cup: 2017–18, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23 FA Women's League Cup: 2019–20, 2020–21 FA Community Shield: 2020
National teams U19
Silver in the Euro 2009
Norway's national team
Bronze in the Euro 2009 Silver in 2013 All star team in Euro 2009 Algarve Cup 2019
See also List of women's footballers with 100 or more international caps
References
External links
NFF profile Turbine Potsdam profile