Lauren Hemp has reached 200 appearances for Manchester City, a milestone that underlines just how influential the 26-year-old forward has become for the club since arriving as a teenager in 2018.
Across those 200 games, Hemp has scored 74 goals and created more chances from open play than any other player in Women's Super League history. Only Khadija Shaw has scored more City goals during the professional era, while Hemp sits second on the WSL's all-time assist list. Her consistency has also been recognised individually, with a record fourth PFA Young Player of the Year award in 2022 and three PFA Team of the Year selections.
Her influence was on full display in City's recent win over Birmingham, where she registered more entries into the final third than any team-mate apart from Gracie Prior and had 16 touches inside the opposition box.
Manager Niklas Jeglertz, who guided City to a domestic double last season with the WSL title and the Women's FA Cup, praised Hemp's impact after the Birmingham victory. "Just give her the ball and something happens!" he said. He also spoke about the enjoyment she brings to her football both in matches and in training. "What I feel is fascinating with Lauren is that if you come and watch one of our training sessions, you see she has the same enjoyment for playing football that she shows in games," Jeglertz said. "I really hope she never loses that. She is always kicking a ball, she is never too tired to do anything and she wants to be there. She loves football. That shows young players what it's about. They need to love to go to work. It's not just a job, it's an identity."
He added that Hemp's contribution to the club already amounts to something lasting. "What she has done for the club in 200 games... she is still pretty young. She can play many more games here. That's amazing that she has a legacy already," he said.
Hemp's rise at City has run parallel to a golden period for England's Lionesses, for whom she has been a key contributor in back-to-back European Championship triumphs under Sarina Wiegman. Her contribution to the game was formally recognised in 2024 when she received an MBE for services to football. That same year, she committed her long-term future to City by signing a three-year contract extension.
Her loyalty to the club, despite interest that could have taken her elsewhere in world football, has not gone unnoticed by supporters. Jayne Comer, secretary of the Manchester City supporters club and a season ticket holder of more than a decade, described Hemp as a