Who is Vivienne Theresa Upendo Lia? Flash Uganda Media looks at her biography, age, husband, family, career, children, nationality, salary, net worth, work and experience, British-Tanzanian heritage, relationship with Southampton, Arsenal, early life and education of the winger and forward for Eintracht Frankfurt in the German Frauen-Bundesliga.
Vivienne Theresa Upendo Lia is an English footballer who plays as a winger for German side Eintracht Frankfurt and has featured for England’s youth national teams.
She was born on 27 September 2006, and came through Arsenal’s youth development system before making the transition to senior football.
During her early professional career, she gained experience on loan at Southampton, Nottingham Forest and Swedish club Hammarby. Her progress has been shaped by her pace, attacking instincts and ability to operate in different forward positions.
In August 2026, she joined Eintracht Frankfurt, opening a new chapter in her career as she continues to establish herself in women’s football.
Early Life and Family Background
Vivienne Theresa Upendo Lia was born and raised in North London, England, and grew up as the youngest of five children. She has Tanzanian heritage through her mother, who was born in Tanzania. During her childhood, Lia developed an interest in several sports, including tennis and athletics, but football gradually became her main focus.
She had always dreamed of becoming a professional footballer, although she admitted that achieving such a goal was not something she initially took for granted.
As a child, Lia supported Arsenal and developed an admiration for the club long before becoming part of its youth system.
Her organised football journey began at the age of 10 when she joined Whetstone Wanderers. Playing for the local team allowed her to develop her technical abilities and gain valuable experience, eventually helping her progress to Arsenal’s academy, where her football development continued.
Football Beginnings
| Years | Club | League Apps | Goals | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025–2026 | Arsenal | 0 | 0 | Academy graduate; won 2023–24 Women’s League Cup |
| 2025 | Southampton (loan) | 9 | 0 | Women’s Championship loan spell |
| 2025–2026 | Nottingham Forest (loan) | 10 | 0 | Competed in WSL 2 |
| 2026 | Hammarby IF (loan) | 7 | 1 | Played in Sweden’s Damallsvenskan; won 2025–26 Svenska Cupen |
| 2026– | Eintracht Frankfurt | 1 | 0 | Signed contract running through June 2030 |
Lia took her first steps in organised football at the age of 10 when she joined Whetstone Wanderers, a local club where she began developing her abilities as a young player. Through regular training and matches, she gained experience, improved her technical skills and became more familiar with the demands of competitive football.
Her involvement with the team strengthened her determination to pursue the sport seriously and work towards a future in professional football.
Arsenal Academy
Lia’s development continued after she joined Arsenal’s academy in 2021, where she worked her way through the club’s youth teams. The opportunity was especially rewarding because Lia had supported Arsenal since childhood. Joining the academy brought her closer to her ambition of becoming a professional footballer and representing the club at senior level.
During this period, she featured for the Under-16 and Under-21 sides and was part of squads that won several trophies. Her consistent progress provided opportunities to train with the senior team, allowing her to gain exposure to experienced players and the standards required at the highest level of women’s football.
In February 2024, at the age of 17, Lia made her first-team debut for Arsenal as a substitute in a Women’s League Cup quarter-final against London City Lionesses. Arsenal won the match, and she later made another appearance in the competition.
Her advancement through the club’s ranks reached another milestone in January 2025 when she signed her first professional contract, securing her future as a senior player after several years in the academy system.
Professional Career
Lia’s first loan move came in January 2025 when she joined Southampton from Arsenal for the remainder of the 2024–25 season. The transfer was aimed at giving her greater exposure to senior football and allowing her to gain regular competitive experience.
She featured in the Women’s Championship, recording nine appearances across all competitions before completing her loan spell and returning to Arsenal.
In September 2025, Lia moved to Nottingham Forest on loan for the 2025–26 season, continuing her development in the Women’s Super League 2. She made 12 appearances for the club in all competitions before the arrangement ended in February 2026.
Later that month, she joined Swedish club Hammarby IF on loan, experiencing football outside England for the first time. Her spell in Sweden included being part of the squad that won the Svenska Cupen, after which she returned to Arsenal in July 2026.
Lia’s association with Arsenal came to an end in August 2026 when she signed permanently for Eintracht Frankfurt in Germany. She agreed to a contract lasting until June 2030, beginning a new phase of her professional career. The move offered her the chance to continue developing in a different league while gaining experience in German women’s football.
International Career
Lia has built her international career through England’s youth teams, earning opportunities to represent the country at different age levels. She has featured for the Under-17, Under-19 and Under-20 sides, gaining valuable experience in international football and competing against players from various countries.
Her progression through these teams has reflected her development as a young footballer and the confidence placed in her abilities by the national coaching staff.
A further milestone came in 2026 when Lia was named in England’s squad for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland. From her early days in North London to her move to Germany, Lia has steadily progressed through the ranks of women’s football. Her time at Arsenal, followed by loan spells in England and Sweden, has given her experience at different levels of the game.
As she continues her professional career with Eintracht Frankfurt, she will look to build on that experience and further develop her potential.opportunity to compete in one of the major tournaments in youth women’s football and test herself against international opposition.
Representing England at this level has added to her experience and contributed to her continued development as she pursues the possibility of earning a place in the senior national team.
Playing Style and Strengths
Lia plays mainly as a winger and is recognised for her attacking approach, pace and ability to take on opposing defenders. She uses her dribbling skills and movement to create space, advance the ball and provide opportunities for her teammates in the attacking third.
Her versatility also allows her to operate in different forward positions, giving her coaches additional options when deploying her in attack.
Through her time at Arsenal and subsequent loan spells, Lia has gained experience in different footballing environments and playing systems. These opportunities have helped her adapt to varying tactical approaches while continuing to improve her overall game.
Conclusion
Lia’s progression from youth football in North London to the professional game in Germany reflects the steady development of her career.
After coming through Arsenal’s academy, she gained further experience through loan spells at Southampton, Nottingham Forest and Hammarby. Her move to Eintracht Frankfurt presents another opportunity to build on that experience and continue growing as a player.
