Deborah-Anne De La Harpe is an Australian-born professional football defender who plays for IFK Norrköping in Sweden’s Damallsvenskan. Born in Caringbah, New South Wales, on 5 April 2000, she developed through Cronulla Seagulls and the Western Australia National Training Centre before establishing herself in Australia’s professional women’s game. She has played for Perth Glory, APIA Leichhardt, Sydney FC and Brisbane Roar, as well as HB Køge in Denmark. De La Harpe has represented Australia at under-19 level and the Republic of Ireland at senior level. IFK Norrköping lists her as an active defender, squad number 3, and confirmed her selection in the match squad for the 23 August 2026 Damallsvenskan fixture against Vittsjö GIK. Source provider data identifies the current team as Norrköping W and the position as Defender.
Deborah-Anne De La Harpe was born in Caringbah, New South Wales, Australia, on 5 April 2000. She is Australian-born and has Irish eligibility through her family background; reputable reporting has described her mother as being from County Antrim. Her early football development included Cronulla Seagulls and the Western Australia National Training Centre. She was identified with Australian youth squads and represented Australia at under-19 level, including the 2019 AFC U-19 Women’s Championship campaign.
De La Harpe began her senior career with Perth Glory during the 2020–21 W-League season. She became a regular starter and continued with the club in 2021–22, playing primarily in defence. Sydney FC recruited her for the 2022–23 Liberty A-League Women season, where she was used as a versatile defensive player. In an April 2023 interview, she described learning to play in a more defensive role and said that Sydney coach Ante Juric viewed her versatility as a strength.
Her Sydney season produced the first major silverware of her senior career. She was part of the Sydney FC squad that won the 2022–23 Premiership and Championship double. De La Harpe was named in the squad for the 30 April 2023 Grand Final, entering in stoppage time as Sydney defeated Western United 4–0. Sydney’s official coverage described the result as the largest victory in A-League Women’s Grand Final history at that time.
After Sydney, De La Harpe moved to Denmark and played for HB Køge in 2023. She then returned to Australia with Brisbane Roar, representing the club across the 2023–24 and 2024–25 seasons. Brisbane recorded 36 appearances, three goals and three assists for her across two seasons in its official departure announcement.
De La Harpe joined Swedish club IFK Norrköping in August 2025. The move took her into the Damallsvenskan, one of Europe’s established women’s domestic competitions. IFK reported that she made her debut in a 2–0 victory in the Östgötaderby and had one goal and one assist from 13 matches during her first half-season. The club extended her initial arrangement in December 2025 through the 2026 summer break, and IFK’s player archive records a further extension announcement on 30 June 2026. As at 24 August 2026, she remained listed in the Norrköping women’s squad and had been selected for the club’s 23 August matchday squad.
A right-footed defender, De La Harpe has been described by club profiles as a fullback and utility defensive player. Her career has combined Australian domestic football, European club experience and senior international football for the Republic of Ireland. No reliable public source located in this research published a salary, transfer fee, cumulative career earnings figure or major injury record for her.
Her first major senior breakthrough came with Perth Glory in the 2020–21 W-League season, when she started all 12 of the club’s league matches according to the available statistical record. Her most significant early career opportunity followed with Sydney FC in 2022–23, where she became part of a Premiership- and Championship-winning squad.
Verified public statistics include 26 Perth Glory appearances and one goal, 21 APIA Leichhardt appearances and three goals, 15 Sydney FC appearances, 36 Brisbane Roar appearances with three goals and three assists, and one senior Republic of Ireland appearance. Available statistical databases also record one Australia under-19 appearance. Sydney FC’s official records confirm that she was part of the 2022–23 Premiership and Championship-winning squad. IFK Norrköping reported one goal and one assist in 13 matches during her first half-season at the club. These figures come from different competition and reporting scopes and should not be treated as a single unified career total.
Her defining senior achievement was being part of Sydney FC’s 2022–23 Premiership and Championship double. She was named in the squad for the 30 April 2023 Grand Final against Western United and came on in second-half stoppage time during Sydney’s 4–0 victory. Her international pathway also attracted attention in February 2023 when she was added to the Republic of Ireland senior squad after previously representing Australia at youth level.