The 2025 Below-17 Ladies's World Cup is properly below means in Morocco with Brazil, China, Canada and Spain among the many international locations who've reached the final 16. After an intriguing group stage listed below are a few of the younger stars who've stood out up to now:
Giulia Galli (Italy): Italy have been one of many shock packages of the match, spearheaded by the objectives of Galli. The 17-year-old has loved an eye catching 12 months for membership and nation: she was on the coronary heart of her nation's run to the semi-finals of this summer time's Below-17 European Championship, their highest end in additional than a decade that booked their spot at this World Cup. Since then, she has discovered herself across the Roma senior workforce, scoring her first aim for the membership – the winner – of their Serie A Ladies's Cup fixture in opposition to Milan. She has led the cost as soon as once more in Morocco as Selena Mazzantini's facet received all three group video games to progress. All 5 objectives thus far have demonstrated her uncanny knack of breaking defensive strains in addition to her instinctive scientific capacity contained in the field.
Giovanna Waksman (Brazil): Waksman is a well-recognized identify for anybody carefully attuned to Brazilian youth soccer. The 16-year-old is without doubt one of the most extremely rated kids coming via the pathway and her pure ability and understanding of the sport have shone all through her youth profession thus far – at Botafogo and at highschool in Florida – as has her goalscoring capacity. She made her debut for Brazil's Below-17s on the age of 14 earlier than being named participant of the match on the 2024 South American Championship and that includes in all their group video games ultimately 12 months's World Cup within the Dominican Republic. With the qualities to play each as a ahead and a No 10, the participant from Rio de Janeiro has impressed in Morocco regardless of Brazil's stuttering run to the knockout stage. She has three objectives to her identify, scoring of their opening win over the hosts and notching two objectives as captain of their 4-3 defeat to Italy. The Seleção will want her to be at her finest after they face China subsequent.
Kim Gained-sim (North Korea): Not a lot is understood about North Korea on the senior world stage however their high quality at youth stage is simple. The present holders and thrice world champions have comfortably made it via to the final 16 with three wins from three. Fifteen-year-old Kim has been on the coronary heart of their success up to now and embodies the traits which have made her nation so profitable at this stage. Working tirelessly from the entrance, she possesses an innate technical capacity that was exemplified by her two objectives of their win over Cameroon. She combines impressively with Ri Ui-gyong down the left and so they linked up for each her near-post finishes. Her second, a wonderful flicked header, was significantly essential, a 98th-minute winner to ship her workforce via.
Carlota Chácon (Spain): Spain's Chácon has been one of many breakout stars, scoring 4 objectives within the group phases to assist her facet qualify for the knockouts with a sport to spare. She was used sparingly in La Rojita's disappointing exhibiting at Could's Euros after they wanted a playoff win in opposition to Austria to ebook their spot on this match. Below new coach Mila Martínez, nevertheless, the Actual Sociedad ahead has come to the fore together with her goalscoring intuition contained in the field and the robust relationships she is constructing with these round her. She additionally possesses robust aerial capacity. Spain have been denied their third World Cup title in a row final trip after they have been overwhelmed by North Korea within the remaining within the Dominican Republic. They are going to be trying to avenge that defeat however face a tough encounter with France within the final 16.
Queen Joseph (Nigeria): Nigeria's progress at this World Cup has been removed from simple after defeats to Canada and France left them on the precipice of elimination. Their marketing campaign was salvaged by a 4-0 victory of their remaining group sport. On the coronary heart of the Flamingos' turnaround was Queen Joseph, whose player-of-the-match efficiency in opposition to Samoa featured two objectives to take her match tally to a few. Electrical going ahead, the 15-year-old can break via hesitant defensive strains whereas additionally being an instinctive finisher contained in the field.
Nyanya Touray (USA): With the group phases accomplished, Touray is just one aim away from equalling the report scored by an American at an Below-17 Ladies's World Cup. With 4 objectives thus far, the 17-year-old has continued her goalscoring type for her nationwide workforce, having ended this summer time's 4 Nations Event as high scorer. An instinctive finisher, the Florida State Seminoles ahead has been essential to the USA's robust exhibiting in Morocco. Katie Schoepfer's facet cruised via to the spherical of 16 scoring 13 and conceding two and will likely be favourites in opposition to the Netherlands to achieve the quarter-finals. They're aiming to achieve their first remaining since 2008 after choosing up a bronze medal final 12 months.
after e-newsletter promotion
Get in contact
You probably have any questions or feedback about any of our newsletters please electronic mail transferring.goalposts@theguardian.com.
That is an extract from our free weekly electronic mail, Shifting the Goalposts. To get the complete version, go to this web page and observe the directions. Shifting the Goalposts is delivered to your inboxes each Tuesday and Thursday.
