Océane Hurtré: How Birmingham City’s forward became the WSL’s breakout star

Six games. Six goals. Océane Hurtré has made one of the most remarkable starts to a Women’s Super League career in the competition’s history, and she has done it for a newly promoted side.

The Birmingham City forward’s strike in the 1-1 draw with Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium earlier this month took her to six goals in her first six WSL matches. That equals the record for the most goals scored by any player in their first six games in the league, set by Birmingham’s Rachel Williams in 2011.

Only Manchester City’s Khadija Shaw has scored more in the WSL this season.

From PSG to St Andrew’s

Born in Rennes in February 2004, Hurtré came through the academy at Paris Saint-Germain. First-team opportunities in Paris were limited, so she spent the 2022-23 season on loan at Dijon and the following campaign at Bordeaux.

Birmingham signed her on a free transfer in August 2025, handing her a three-year contract. Her first season in England was steady rather than spectacular. She made 21 appearances in WSL 2, scoring three goals and providing three assists as Birmingham won the title and promotion back to the top flight.

There were flashes of what was to come. In February she scored a hat-trick in an 8-0 Women’s FA Cup win over Chatham Town, as Birmingham became the first side into the quarter-finals.

Carrying Birmingham’s attack

The step up to the WSL has brought out the best in her. Hurtré was named Barclays WSL Player of the Month for September after scoring four goals and providing an assist in four league games, becoming the youngest non-British player to win the award.

Her importance to Amy Merricks’ side is hard to overstate. According to Opta Analyst, after six games she had scored 75 per cent of Birmingham’s league goals (six of their eight), and accounted for 43 per cent of their expected goals and 45 per cent of their shots on target.

Birmingham have built their game around getting the ball forward quickly, and the WSL says no side moves the ball from defence to attack faster. Hurtré is the player they are looking for when they break, with the pace to get in behind and the composure to finish when chances are scarce.

She is not just a goalscorer either. Her work rate without the ball has been a big help to a promoted side that has had to spend long spells defending.

Goals against the best

What makes Hurtré’s start so impressive is who she has scored against. Her goals have come against champions Manchester City, Brighton, Crystal Palace, Everton and Arsenal.

The Arsenal goal on 17 October summed up her season. Renee Slegers named a strong side, with Alessia Russo, Stina Blackstenius and Olivia Smith all starting. But Birmingham soaked up the pressure and broke on the counter just after half-time, with Hurtré calmly finishing to put the visitors ahead in front of more than 19,000 fans. Only a superb Smith strike rescued a 1-1 draw for the hosts.

France debut and the Golden Boot race

Her form has not gone unnoticed in France. Hurtré earned her first senior international call-up this month, and scored on her debut.

Back in England, she is now Shaw’s closest challenger in the race for the WSL Golden Boot. Shaw remains the benchmark, but Hurtré’s numbers are all the more striking given she plays for a side fighting at the wrong end of the table rather than for the champions.

With seven goal involvements already, she has surpassed the full-season totals of all but seven players in Birmingham’s WSL history, with most of the campaign still to play.

What’s next for Hurtré and Birmingham?

Birmingham host Tottenham at St Andrew’s on Sunday 1 November, when Hurtré will be aiming to add to her tally and close the gap on Shaw.

If she keeps scoring at this rate, Birmingham will have a real chance of staying up, and Hurtré will be one of the stories of the WSL season.

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