There will be some top young talent on show in Australia and New Zealand, and here are the names you should keep an eye on…
This year's Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand promises to be the biggest yet. More eyes will be on the tournament than ever before as the game continues to grow, making it an incredible stage for a young player to announce themselves on.
What's particularly exciting this summer is that so many of the best up-and-comers that will be on show are already key players in their national teams.
Four years ago, we saw players like Lena Oberdorf, the women's NXGN 2020 winner, Giulia Gwinn, winner of the Young Player of the Tournament award, and Mallory Swanson, now a star name for the U.S. women's national team, announce themselves to the world.
There are plenty of excellent youngsters who appear primed to follow in their footsteps and shine in the 2023 edition.
So, who should you be keeping an eye on? Let NXGN introduce you to some of the stand-out names, born in 2002 or later…
GettyHanna Bennison (Sweden)
The NXGN 2021 winner, Bennison has been an integral member of Sweden's senior national team for a while now.
She made her debut in late 2019, aged 17, and has since been to an Olympic Games and a Euros. She'll complete the set with a World Cup this summer.
The Everton midfielder moved to England from Rosengard in the summer of 2021 and has become a key part of what head coach Brian Sorensen is trying to do. Bennison's next task is to become a regular in her country's starting XI, though she has proven a very important substitute for Peter Gerhardsson.
AdvertisementGettyJule Brand (Germany)
After starting the Euros final last year at the age of 19, Brand will follow that up with a trip to her first senior World Cup this summer. In the 12 months between the two milestones, she's only grown as a player.
The winger completed a move to Wolfsburg before the 2022-23 season, and the environment the two-time European champions can provide, with its competitiveness and the influence of so many winners, is only benefiting her.
GettyJody Brown (Jamaica)
Brown was only 16 years old when she made her senior international debut and, later that year, she was the youngest player on show at the 2018 CONCACAF Women's Championship.
Still in college, at Florida State University, the young forward has an excellent goalscoring record for her country and has already been to a World Cup, when the Reggae Girlz qualified in 2019. She's now set for another, at the age of 21.
GettyEsmee Brugts (Netherlands)
A member of the Netherlands' Euro 2022 squad, it was Brugts' goal that actually secured her country's place at this summer's World Cup. Had the teenager not netted in the 93rd minute to beat Iceland in September, the 2019 runners-up would've had to go through further qualifying and might not have made it.
That is a moment that perfectly illustrates the impact the PSV forward has been having on her national team already, and she will not just be a great impact sub in Australia and New Zealand, but also a player competing for a starting berth.
