Raised in Upminster, in the London Borough of Havering, Mace is the youngest of three and attended Coopers' Company and Coborn School.[2] At age 14, she switched to Woodlands in Basildon and an elite development programme.[2] The England Football Association nominated Mace to receive Sports Aid funding, and she received £1,000 football-related costs.[2][citation needed]
Club career
Arsenal
Mace made her Arsenal debut on 26 September 2020 against North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the postponed FA Cup quarter final of 2019–20 season. She came on in the 88th minute to replace captain Kim Little as Arsenal won 4–0.[3] On 7 October 2020, Mace made another substitute appearance for Arsenal, this time against Chelsea in the 2020–21 League Cup, replacing Caitlin Foord in the 84th minute.
Mace made her WSL debut against Brighton & Hove Albion on 11 October 2020, coming on as a second-half substitute replacing Caitiln Foord in the 78th Minute.[4] She made her second league appearance against Tottenham Hotspur on 18 October, again coming on as a second-half substitute, this time replacing Danielle van de Donk in the 77th minute.[5] Mace made her second League Cup appearance against London City Lionesses, coming on in the 46th minute replacing Jill Roord, in a game Arsenal won 4–0.[6]
On 11 June 2021, Mace signed her first professional contract with Manchester City ahead of her 18th birthday.[8]
On 13 October 2021, she made her debut in the 2021–22 League Cup against Everton, playing the full 90 minutes, and receiving praise from fellow teenage teammate Jess Park.[9] City would go on to win the League Cup that season.[10] On 18 May 2024, it was announced that Mace would leave the club upon the expiry of her contract.[11]
Leicester City (loan)
I think it gave me confidence [the loan spell] especially at Leicester, I can't thank them enough for the platform that they put out for me to be able to play every week. It really meant a lot to me and the way that they trusted me in that position as well.
On 20 July 2024, Mace re-joined Leicester City signing a two-year deal.[17]
International career
In October 2017, Mace made her youth international debut with England's under-15s, captaining the team in a match against Scotland,[1] going on to play for the U-17, U-19, and U-23 team.[7][18]
In June 2022, Mace featured as part of the starting eleven for the under-19s in the 2022 U-19 Championship fixtures against Norway and Sweden as centre-back, in a win and a loss, [25][26] prior to being replaced for the match against Germany due to injury.[27]
Mace was first named as part of the squad for the England under-23s on 8 February 2023.[28] Throughout 2023 she went on to play as the number 4 (a defensive midfielder), as part of the starting eleven, playing in fixtures against Spain, Belgium, Portugal, Norway, Italy, Portugal and France.[29] In October 2023, in discussing the U23 side, Mace said her goal is "just pushing myself to be the best that I can be, to transform into the seniors.".[12]