An incredible 14 City players will be hoping to feature at the tournament this summer, with our ‘City at the World Cup’ series helping you learn more about each one of them.
This time, our attention is on Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw, following an incredible standout season at the Academy Stadium.
Our Jamaican forward is about to embark on her second World Cup with her national team, proudly wearing the number 10 shirt.
After breaking records at international and club level, Bunny’s star continue to rise ahead of this summer’s tournament.
City career so far
Competitive debut: 31 August 2021
Appearances: 59
Goals: 50
Assists: 14
Player profile
Growing up in Jamaica, Bunny’s first break came when she earned a college scholarship in the United States, first in Florida before moving to Tennessee in 2017. She managed to score 27 goals in 35 games for the Volunteers.
Her performances were catching the eye overseas, and she eventually signed her first professional contract at Bordeaux in 2019.
After two free-scoring years in France, City came calling.
Bunny’s eye for goal, deceptive pace and physical presence saw her adapt swiftly to the Barclays Women’s Super League, and she would finish her first season in England with 19 goals to her name in all competitions.
But last season she took her game to new heights with 31 goals overall, breaking the record for the most goals scored by a City Women’s player across a single season.
Unsurprisingly, she won the Club’s Player of the Season award for 2022/23, but she will continue this incredible journey at City until at least 2026 after agreeing to a contract extension at the end of the season.
However, to talk just about her goals wouldn’t do justice to the amazing unison she has with her team-mates, with only Chloe Kelly and Lauren Hemp provided more assists than Bunny across the 2022/23 season.
Previous World Cup performances
This will be Bunny’s second World Cup experience after helping Jamaica become the first Caribbean nation to qualify for the tournament in 2019.
She had already impressed for the national team despite her tender years, even scoring her first goal for her national team at the age of just 18.
And while she wouldn’t add a World Cup goal to her tally in 2019, she proudly provided the assist for Jamaica’s first and so far only goal in the competition in a 4-1 defeat to Australia.
The Reggae Girlz’s record markswoman with 56 strikes, Bunny was also joint-top scorer in qualifying for the World Cup this summer.
But Bunny has not just become a key figure on the field, she continues to be an important role model for many girls hoping to make a career in the beautiful game.
Our cover star for the most recent Manchester City magazine, she said: “For me, it’s always an honour when I put on the colours of Jamaica.
“I feel a sense of pride and I feel I’m inspiring not just Jamaica, but the Caribbean as a whole.”
The Reggae Girlz, with Bunny as their figurehead, are hoping to continue paving the way for the next generation, starting at this summer’s World Cup.
