Melina Ayres

Melina Ayres
Personal information
Full name	Melina Ayres
Date of birth	13 April 1999 (age 22)
Place of birth	Melbourne, Australia
Height	173 cm (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s)	Striker
Club information
Current team	Melbourne Victory
Number	14
Senior career*
Years	Team
2015–2017	Melbourne City
2016
2017–2018	South Melbourne
2017–	Melbourne Victory
National team‡
2016–	Australia U20
	* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 1 February 2020; ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 25 October 2017

Melina Ayres (born 13 April 1999) is an Australian football (soccer) player, who currently plays for Melbourne Victory in the Australian W-League. She has previously played for Melbourne City.

WNPL[]

In 2017, Ayres signed for her junior club South Melbourne FC after spending the previous WNPL Victoria season at Alamein FC.^[1] Ayres went on to sign for South Melbourne the following year.^[2]

Club career[]

Melbourne City, 2015–2017[]

In September 2015 at age 16, Ayres signed with Melbourne City for the 2015–16 season playing primarily in a striker position.^[3]^[4] She scored her first goal for the club during injury time of the team's inaugural match against Sydney FC solidifying the 6–0 win.^[5]

Melbourne Victory, 2017–[]

On 22 September, Ayres joined Melbourne Victory on a one-year deal. Highlights of her 2017/2018 season include a stunning goal against Melbourne City FC in round 11 when she won the ball from Alanna Kennedy and chipped Matildas goalkeeper Lydia Williams from close to halfway. Just one week earlier, Ayres scored another cracker of a strike against ladder leaders Brisbane Roar. With no clear options on hand, Ayres hit a right foot rocket past Matildas goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold into the top right bin, leaving the keeper with no chance.^[6] In October 2020, Ayres signed a three-year extension with Melbourne Victory.^[7]

International career[]

Ayres played in Malaysia for the under-16 national team. Ayres was called up to the Australian under-20 squad for the 2016 AFF Women's Championship in July 2016 held in Myanmar.^[8]