Olivia Smith – Ooh Ah Canada

The quick read

Player story

01 · Background

Whitby to Arsenal before 22

Smith was born in North York, raised in Whitby and started with Whitby Iroquois at five. She became Canada’s youngest senior international at 15, spent a season at Penn State and signed her first professional contract with Sporting CP in 2023. A league player-of-the-season award in Portugal led to Liverpool, where she was club Player of the Season, and then Arsenal in 2025.

02 · How she plays

Power through contact, threat from several lanes

Smith can play wide, centrally or underneath a striker. She is at her most recognisable when driving at a defender: low centre of gravity, powerful first steps and the balance to keep the ball through contact. At Arsenal she has also expanded her combination play and chance creation. The result is an attacker who can beat the first opponent herself or attract pressure and release a teammate.

03 · Canada role

The attack’s shape-changer

Canada can use Smith as a winger who comes inside, a central forward who drifts out or a carrier starting deeper. That versatility lets the team change its front line without making a substitution. She is still developing her final position, which is part of the appeal: opponents cannot prepare for only one version of her.