9️⃣ days to go: Nine young stars ready to take the WWC by storm | OneFootball

The Women’s World Cup in just nine days away and, as with every tournament, we can’t wait to see the young players who will catapult themselves to stardom on the biggest stage of all.

Here are nine players 21 and under to look out for in Australia and New Zealand.

See all of our Women’s World Cup preview content right here.

🇳🇱 Esmee Brugts (19)

Technically excellent, hard working, an excellent finisher. Brugts has all you want from an offensive midfielder.

She scored a goal every 144 minutes in the Eredivisie Vrouwen in 2022/23 despite playing in a PSV side that struggled for chances and finished just fourth.

Brugts already has four international goals to her name in 17 appearances and there’s sure to be more on the way.

🇨🇴 Linda Caicedo (18)

Just 18, this is Caicedo’s third World Cup in two years. The winger played in the U17 World Cup and U20 World Cup in 2022, scoring four in six at the former as Colombia lost in the final and two in four at the latter as they reached the quarter-finals.

It was another lost final as she scored two in six at the Copa América with the senior team last summer.

Off the back of all that, Caicedo was wanted all over Europe. She joined Real Madrid in January and registered a goal or assists every 113 minutes in her 10 Liga F appearances in 2022/23.

A skilled dribbler with pace to burn who can shoot with both feet, you don’t want to miss her.

🇭🇹 Melchie Dumornay (19)

The teenage striker has an excellent record with the national team, scoring seven times in 13 appearances, and arrives off the back of a superb season with Reims.

Dumornay is dangerous with both feet — three of her 11 goals in the league this season came with her left, seven with her right, one with her head — she isn’t too shy to shoot from distance, and it’s little surprise that her future lies at Lyon.

🇫🇷 Laurina Fazer (19)

An excellent dribbler and a real goal threat from midfield, Fazer has slowly been making her way into the PSG side over the last three seasons.

She made eight league starts in 2022/23 and left enough of an impression to win her first two France caps in 2023.

Handed the number four shirt, she could be a breakout star of the summer.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Lauren James (21)

The Chelsea winger missed last summer’s Euros success and will be determined to make her mark Down Under as a result.

Likely to come in for Beth Mead, James has big shoes to fill but all the talent to fill them.

Lightning quick and with a bag full of tricks, she possesses the technical ability to torment defenders and the vision to create endlessly for her team-mates. If England go far, it would be no shock to see James take the tournament by storm.

🇦🇺 Mary Fowler (20)

April: Mary Fowler fractures her back.

July: Mary Fowler is set to play at the World Cup in her native Australia.

The young striker has won the race to be fit for her second World Cup — she did not feature in 2019 but was the youngest player at the entire tournament — and could become a household name beyond her own nation.

Like in the Olympics, Fowler may have to settle for a role as an impact sub, with Sam Kerr, Caitlin Foord, Hayley Raso, Kyah Simon and Cortnee Vine all providing competition across the frontline, but don’t bet against her making an impact when the time comes.

🇩🇪 Lena Oberdorf (21)

Already a star, Oberdorf is widely recognised as one of the world’s best midfielders before this World Cup even kicks off.

An integral part of the Wolfsburg team in recent seasons, the midfielder was a dominant force at last summer’s Euros and was named Young Player of the Tournament as Germany reached the final.

Oberdorf has incredible aggression and physicality matched by her reading of the game and technical ability — all of that packaged together means she will win the ball off you, then hurt you with it. A special player.

🇪🇸 Salma Paralluelo (19)

A former sprinter, Paralluelo has been quick out the blocks in her career so far, scoring six times in 11 appearances for Spain.

The left-winger quickly became an important player for Barcelona in her first season at the club and started both legs of the Champions League quarter-finals (scoring the crucial goal in a 1-0 win at Roma), one leg of the semis, and then the final itself.

Spanish teams can often lack bite and ruthlessness in the final third but Paralluelo should offer plenty.

🇺🇸 Trinity Rodman (21)

Her name precedes her but Rodman is here by merit.

A hard-working, physical forward, Rodman’s talent shines through most when she’s taking defenders on and driving forward with the ball.

With 14 goals and nine assists in her two-and-a-half seasons in NWSL, she has shown she can create as well as threaten herself and the world is waiting for a breakthrough moment.

See all of our Women’s World Cup preview content right here.