Cloé Lacasse Bio
Cloé Zoé Eyja Lacasse, known professionally as Cloé Lacasse, is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a forward for the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) club Utah Royals and the Canada women’s national team. Born on July 7, 1993, in Sudbury, Ontario, she has built a career that spans collegiate soccer in the United States, championship-winning spells in Iceland and Portugal, and a high-profile move to the Women’s Super League with Arsenal. She is recognized for her goal-scoring instincts, work rate, and ability to deliver in decisive moments for both club and country.
Lacasse first rose to prominence as a record-setting forward at the University of Iowa before taking her game to Europe, where she collected multiple league titles with Benfica in Portugal. After a season in England with Arsenal, she returned to North America with the Utah Royals. On the international stage, she represents Canada and has appeared in major tournaments, including the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
Early Life and Background
Cloé Zoé Eyja Lacasse was born and raised in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. She began playing soccer at age five with the Sudbury Canadians, the local youth club where she developed her first love for the game. At the age of 12, Lacasse made the difficult decision to focus solely on soccer, setting aside her promising career in taekwondo, in which she is a black belt, to commit herself to football.
She attended École secondaire Macdonald-Cartier, where she played high school soccer and helped her team win the provincial OFSAA championship twice, in 2010 and 2011. In 2010, she moved to Brampton Brams United to continue her development in a more competitive environment. Her performances at the youth level caught the attention of several college programs in the United States, ultimately leading her to accept a scholarship at the University of Iowa.
Path to Professional Soccer
Lacasse joined the Iowa Hawkeyes women’s soccer team in 2011, and her impact was immediate. As a freshman, she led the team in scoring with 12 goals in 20 appearances and was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week twice. Over her four seasons at Iowa, she earned All-Big Ten and NSCAA All-Great Lakes Region honors, was named Iowa’s Offensive Player of the Year in each of her four years, and finished as the school’s all-time leading scorer with 43 goals and 112 points.
She led the Hawkeyes to their first two Big Ten Tournament Championship games and the program’s first NCAA national tournament berth in 2013. While still in college, she gained her first taste of senior football in 2012 with the Toronto Lady Lynx of the USL W-League. After completing her college career, Lacasse opted to pursue professional opportunities in Europe rather than enter an American professional draft.
Cloé Lacasse Career
Early Career (2012–2015)
Lacasse’s first senior club was the Toronto Lady Lynx in 2012, where she gained experience in the USL W-League during her college off-season. After completing her university career at Iowa, she turned down offers from clubs in the United States to sign with Icelandic club ÍBV Vestmannaeyjar in the Úrvalsdeild kvenna in 2015.
Her time in Iceland was transformative. She adapted quickly to European football and helped ÍBV capture the Icelandic League Cup in 2016 and the Icelandic Cup in 2017. In 2018, she was named ÍBV’s Player of the Year and was recognized as the league’s best player by the newspaper Morgunblaðið, establishing herself as one of the top performers in Icelandic women’s football.
Benfica Breakthrough (2019–2023)
After being scouted by a Portuguese agent while playing in Iceland, Lacasse signed a two-year contract with Benfica in July 2019, joining the Campeonato Nacional Feminino. Her arrival marked the beginning of the most decorated club spell of her career, as she became a key attacking figure for one of Portugal’s biggest clubs.
On November 17, 2021, Lacasse made history by becoming the first player to score a goal for a Portuguese club in the group stage of the UEFA Women’s Champions League, netting the opener in a 2–1 victory over BK Häcken FF. She extended her contract through 2024 and went on to win three consecutive Campeonato Nacional Feminino titles (2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23), three Taça da Liga trophies (2020, 2021, 2022), and two Supertaça de Portugal crowns (2019, 2022). In the 2022–23 season, she was voted the league’s top player by the players’ union. In her final season at Benfica, she scored 35 goals and added 18 assists in 43 games, finishing her four-year spell with more than 100 goals and eight trophies.
Arsenal Era (2023–2024)
On June 29, 2023, Lacasse signed with English Women’s Super League club Arsenal, calling the move a dream and citing her desire to compete in one of the world’s top leagues. She made an immediate impact, scoring her first Arsenal goal on October 6, 2023, coming off the bench to salvage a 2–2 draw at Manchester United in second-half stoppage time.
She also scored in a 3–1 victory over Manchester United in front of the first sold-out crowd for a Women’s Super League match at Emirates Stadium. Across all competitions, Lacasse made 28 appearances for Arsenal and won the Women’s League Cup. Although she started only six of her 19 WSL matches, her contributions off the bench and in cup competition made her a useful squad member during her single season in north London.
Utah Royals Era (2024–Present)
In August 2024, Lacasse transferred to the Utah Royals of the NWSL, returning to North American soccer after five years in Europe. She quickly endeared herself to fans in Utah, scoring a first-half hat trick in a 3–0 win over the Seattle Reign on October 13, 2024, becoming the first player in Utah Royals history to record a hat trick.
However, her debut season in Utah was cut short in late October 2024 when she ruptured her ACL and sprained her MCL, forcing her to miss the remainder of the year. After ten months of rehabilitation, Lacasse returned to the field on August 8, 2025, in a match against the Kansas City Current, marking the completion of a long road back from injury.
Driving Style and Strengths
On the soccer pitch, Lacasse is a quick, intelligent forward who combines smart movement off the ball with a clinical finish in front of goal. Her experience in multiple tactical systems in Iceland, Portugal, and England has made her adaptable across different formations and roles, whether leading the line or playing off a strike partner. She is also known for her composure in high-pressure moments, having delivered key goals in cup finals and Champions League fixtures throughout her career.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among her career highlights, Lacasse’s historic UEFA Women’s Champions League goal for Benfica in 2021 stands out as a defining moment, as does her record-setting hat trick for the Utah Royals in 2024. She has also represented Canada at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the 2024 Summer Olympics, where she scored Canada’s opening goal against New Zealand in Paris.
Cloé Lacasse International Career
Lacasse attended a Canada U20 training camp in August 2012 but did not make the final roster. After being granted Icelandic citizenship in June 2019, she applied to FIFA to switch national associations, but the request was denied in July 2020 because she did not meet the five-year continuous residency requirement. She instead committed to Canada and was called up in April 2021, making her senior debut on November 27, 2021, against Mexico, in which she was named Canada Player of the Match.
She has since become a regular contributor for the national team, helping Canada win silver at the 2022 CONCACAF W Championship and scoring her first international goal on October 6, 2022, in a 2–0 friendly win over Argentina. Lacasse was part of Canada’s squad at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the 2024 Paris Olympics, and in February 2026 she was named to the roster for the 2026 SheBelieves Cup following her return from injury.
Cloé Lacasse Career Wins
Across her club career, Cloé Lacasse has established herself as a serial winner, with major silverware in three European leagues and a growing list of individual honors. Her most decorated spell came at Benfica, where she won eight trophies in four seasons.
Benfica Highlights
With Benfica, Lacasse won three Campeonato Nacional Feminino titles (2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23), three Taça da Liga trophies (2020, 2021, 2022), and two Supertaça de Portugal titles (2019, 2022). She finished her final season with 35 goals and 18 assists in 43 appearances across all competitions and was voted the league’s best player by the players’ union in 2022–23.
Other Wins and Performances
At ÍBV, Lacasse won the Icelandic League Cup in 2016 and the Icelandic Cup in 2017. With Arsenal, she won the Women’s League Cup in 2023–24. She has also won the 2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup silver medal with Canada and contributed to Canada’s 2024 Olympic campaign in Paris.
Cloé Lacasse Personal Life
Personal Life
Cloé Lacasse holds dual Canadian and Icelandic citizenship, having been granted Icelandic citizenship in June 2019. Outside of soccer, she is a black belt in taekwondo, a skill she developed in her youth before focusing on football at age 12. She is known to be a private person and keeps details of her personal relationships out of the public eye.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season for Cloé Lacasse was defined by recovery and return. After rupturing her ACL and spraining her MCL in October 2024, she spent roughly ten months in rehabilitation before making her long-awaited comeback on August 8, 2025, against the Kansas City Current. Her return was a significant moment for the Utah Royals, who had missed her attacking presence throughout the early months of the campaign.
Although Utah did not qualify for the NWSL playoffs in 2025, Lacasse’s presence in the squad provided a clear boost down the stretch as she worked to regain full match sharpness. Her leadership, combined with her proven record of finding the back of the net, gave the Royals a focal point to build around heading into the off-season.
Looking ahead, Lacasse is expected to play a central role for Utah in 2026 as she returns to full fitness. She was also named to Canada’s squad for the 2026 SheBelieves Cup in February, signaling her continued importance to the national team setup following the disappointment of the 2023 World Cup group-stage exit and the positive experience of the 2024 Olympic tournament in Paris.