South Yorkshire has long had a reputation of nurturing future stars across both the men’s and women’s game, with high profile players to grow up or feature in the region in recent years including Mary Earps, Ellie Roebuck and Bethany England.
But where are the current crop of South Yorkshire players representing at home and abroad? SYWF takes a look through the South Yorkshire pyramid to find out…
Jacqui Hand – Sheffield United and New Zealand
Jacqui Hand first played for the Football Ferns in 2021 and has since received 27 caps. The forward featured at the 2023 Women’s World Cup and provided an assist for Hannah Wilkinson in their opening 1-0 win over Norway.
This season, Hand also featured in the Ferns Olympic Games squad, featuring in all three group stage games in France. Hand was a part of the February international window as they faced off against Costa Rica in two friendlies, and will be a part of the team set to contest two friendlies against Venezuela on Saturday 31 May, and Tuesday 3 June.
Nadia Khan – Doncaster Rovers Belles and Pakistan
Nadia first represented Pakistan in 2022, turning out in a 3-0 defeat to India, before scoring four goals and an assist against The Maldives in a 7-0 win in the SAFF Women’s Football Championship.
Khan returned to the Pakistan team this season. featuring in two games at the 2024 edition of the Championship, a 5-2 defeat against India and a 1-1 draw against Bangladesh.
Maria Farrugia – Sheffield United and Malta
Maria Farrugia first turned out for Malta in 2019 and has since become ever present within the line-up over the last year, picking up her 50th cap in a 2-1 defeat against Cyprus in February.
Now at 53 caps, Farrugia has scored 11 goals for Malta, most recently scoring a brace in a key Women’s Nations League game against Georgia in April.
Farrugia is set to take part in more Nations League matches in the upcoming international break, with matches against Cyprus and Andorra to come as the Reds look to finish top of their group in the Women’s Nations League.
Connie Scofield – Sheffield United and Northern Ireland
Sheffield United’s on-loan midfielder has this season broken into the Northern Ireland national team, switching allegiances after previously having represented England at U16, U17 and U21 level.
Scofield has featured from the bench in three of the last four Nations League matches, during her loan spell from London City Lionesses, and is yet to score for the Northern Ireland.
Scofield was set to feature in matches against Poland and Bosnia and Herzegovina in the upcoming international window, but had to withdraw on 21 May after suffering a hamstring injury.
Esther Morgan – Sheffield United and Wales
Esther Morgan has ten caps for the Welsh national team, having risen through the Welsh U17 and U19 teams to make her full international debut in 2021 while playing for Tottenham. Esther has since struggled with injury in recent seasons, but was recalled to the squad for April’s international window for games against Denmark and Sweden, playing the first half in a 1-1 draw against Sweden.
Esther is set to feature again after being called up to the squad for the upcoming Nations League games against Denmark and Italy.
Jade Bailey – Sheffield United and Jamaica
Jade Bailey has received 8 caps for Jamaica since making her international debut in 2021 while playing for Liverpool, featuring in the 2022 CONCACAF W Championship as the Reggae Girlz made it to the semi-finals. Bailey returned to the Jamaica fold this year with three games, most recently in a 3-0 defeat to Mexico in April.
Fallon Connolly-Jackson – Sheffield United and Scotland
Fallon Connolly-Jackson has been a part of the Scotland U19 setup over the last season, alongside 16 appearances for Sheffield United, including a key brace in a 4-0 win against Czechia.
Connolly-Jackson is set to make the step up to U23 level for this international window, following her first call up for this side. She will be hoping to break into the side for two friendly fixtures against Iceland U23s.
Maddy Earl – Sheffield United and England
Maddy Earl signed for the Blades in January 2025 on a loan deal until the end of this season from Women’s Champions League winners Arsenal.
Earl featured for the England U19s earlier this season while out on loan at fellow WSL2 side Bristol City, playing just over an hour in a 2-0 win over Norway U19s, and following a strong second half of the season at Sheffield United, is in contention to travel to Poland to play in her second consecutive U19 European Championship, following 3 appearances and 1 goal at last year’s tournament in Lithuania.
Daniela Kraycheva – Barnsley Women and Bulgaria
Daniela has been in action for Barnsley Women 15 times this season, scoring 1 goal – and has also featured twice this season for the Bulgaria Under-19 team, in a 2-0 defeat to the Ireland U19s, and a 4-0 reverse against the Norway U19 team.
When are South Yorkshire’s international players in action over the international break?
| Player | Match | Kick-off (BST) | Live on: |
| Fallon Connolly-Jackson | SCOTLAND U23 v Iceland U23 | 29 May 15:00 | Scotland National Team Youtube |
| Esther Morgan | Denmark v WALES | 30 May 18:15 | BBC Two Wales, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website |
| Maria Farrugia | MALTA v Cyprus | 30 May 18:00 | |
| Jacqui Hand | NEW ZEALAND v Venezuela | 31 May 17:00 | FIFA+ |
| Fallon Connolly-Jackson | Scotland U23 v Iceland U23 | 2 June 15:00 | Scotland National Team Youtube |
| Jacqui Hand | NEW ZEALAND v Venezuela | 3 June 17:00 | FIFA+ |
| Maria Farrugia | Andorra v MALTA | 3 June 18:00 | |
| Esther Morgan | WALES v Italy | 3 June 18:30 | BBC Two Wales, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website |
