Jess Fishlock

Cardiff City LFC, 2002–2005

Fishlock started her career playing for Cardiff City Ladies F.C. and made her debut for the senior side at age 15. Fishlock made her debut against Reading Royals on 29 September 2002 and scored 19 times in 23 appearances in her first season at the club. Laura McAllister, who was captain of Cardiff City when Fishlock joined the squad said, "Jess joined the junior team but she was so good we fast-tracked her. Jess is just a fabulous player. She is technically superb with fabulous skills and among the 2 or 3% in Britain. She's ambitious and adventurous and to be a top, top sports-player you've got to be like that." At age 16, she was a member of the senior side that won the 2004–05 SW Combination League Championship without losing a point. The team later beat Everton en route to the last eight of the FA Cup and won the Welsh Cup to move on to the UEFA Women's Cup. As of February 2013, Fishlock remained the club's record goalscorer.

AZ Alkmaar, 2008–2010

In 2008, the Dutch Champions AZ Alkmaar approached Jess to join them and become the first overseas player in the Eredivisie. Jess won back to back league titles during the 2008/2009 and 2009/2010 seasons, and was on track for a third straight title during the 2010/2011 season when she left to come back to the UK.

Bristol Academy WFC, 2011–2012

In 2011, Fishlock joined Bristol in England's FA Women's Super League (FA WSL). During the 2011 season, Bristol achieved a…

Fishlock made her debut for the U-19 national team at age 16. After captaining the U–19 team, she was called up to the senior national team and made her debut against Switzerland in 2006. She captained the senior team from 2012 to 2015. After a 1–0 win over Mexico during Wales' first match at the 2013 Algarve Cup, Fishlock scored the game-winning goal of the match during the 11th minute. After Wales tied Hungary 1–1 on 11 March 2013, the team faced Portugal in the knockout stage. Fishlock scored Wales only goal in the 77th minute. Portugal scored an equalizing goal in the 93rd-minute leading to penalty kicks to determine the victor. Portugal won after scoring three penalty kicks over Wales' one. In February 2015, incoming Welsh manager Jayne Ludlow unveiled her squad for the 2015 Istria Cup which did not feature long-time captain Fishlock. Two months later, she was re-called to the team. On 5 April 2017, Fishlock became the first Welsh player to earn 100 caps for the national team. On 9 April 2024, Fishlock became the first Welsh player to earn 150 caps for the national team. As of June 2025, she is currently the most capped Cymru player with 162 caps to her name. On 14 July 2024 - with her goal against Kosovo marking her 45th goal for Wales - she became the Welsh national team's all–time record goal scorer, surpassing previous record holder Helen Ward. As of June 2025, she currently holds the record with 47 goals. In June 2025, Fishlock was named in Wales' squad for their…

In 2012, Fishlock was the first team coach for her former team, Cardiff City Ladies FC, alongside Manager Jamie Sherwood. In Melbourne City FC's inaugural season in 2015–16, Fishlock was a player-assistant coach alongside head coach Joe Montemurro. She returned in the same role for the 2016–17 season. Midway through City's 2016–17 season, head coach Joe Montemurro became the chief assistant coach of Melbourne City men's team, and Fishlock was promoted to player-head coach. In February 2017, she coached Melbourne City to its second consecutive W-League Grand Final title and scored a goal in the 2–0 win over Perth Glory. With the win, she became the first player-coach to win the league title in the W-League's history. In October 2017, Melbourne City FC announced that Fishlock would be returning for the 2017–18 season as a player-assistant coach. Following her retirement from playing internationally in October 2025, on 18 February 2026, it was announced that Fishlock was joining the Welsh coaching staff as a technical assistant ahead of their 3 March 2027 World Cup qualifying game against the Czech Republic, with head coach Rhian Wilkinson saying "Jess is still a player for Seattle and she's just retired from the national team so she will be eased into it. In that way, it's slightly different than the other technical staff, but she will be putting in a shift for sure."

Fishlock was born in Cardiff, Wales to Kevyn and Sharon Fishlock. She has two brothers and three sisters. As a child, she began playing football with her sister before joining Cardiff City Ladies F.C. at age 7. She later played for Newport Strikers.