While veterans and superstars will take centre stage as they look to hoist the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, they will be challenged by the next generation, many of whom are making their World Cup debut.
As young as just 18 years old, many of these players already have club and country accolades, and are looking to add on by making an impact on the pitch.
Here are five breakout stars to watch for at the FIFA Women’s World Cup, kicking off on Thursday.
Lauren James – England
The Lionesses have been dealt with some blows to their squad from injury, especially losing EURO 2022 Golden Boot winner Beth Mead and captain Leah Williamson. Lauren James is next in line as a dynamic player who is certain to make her name known.
The dynamic attacker and Chelsea standout will have eyes on her as her pace and attacking instinct are hard to match. She is able to fly past opponents with her dribble but also has a powerful finish.
James may have just one goal in her 11 appearances for England, but with her ability to control the ball through tight spaces, she could have an offensive breakout at this World Cup.
Melchie Dumornay – Haiti
Haiti is entering their first World Cup ranked 53rd in the world, qualifying after defeating Chile in a playoff in February. Melchie Dumornay, 19, scored both goals for the Haitians in the win.
For Dumornay, scoring big goals is second nature. She’s scored seven times in 13 appearances for her country, and scored 11 goals for Reims this past season on the club side, earning a move to European giants Lyon with her success.
Dumornay can be dangerous from a distance, can shoot with both feet — scoring three times with her left foot out of her 11 league goals — and has a variety of finishes. She plays the last defender, has a great first step and can accelerate making her hard to defend.
Linda Caicedo – Colombia
After conquering the FIFA Women’s World Cup at the U17 and U20 levels, making it to the finals of the U17 competition as well as the Copa America Femenina where she won the Golden Ball, Linda Caicedo is ready to make an impact for the senior women’s side.
Caicedo is a player who can read space well and can carry the ball for two-thirds of the pitch at lightning speeds, but also has a touch quality that allows her to select passes and place the ball exactly where her teammates need it.
Playing mostly as a winger, Caicedo can also take on the role of attacking midfielder the way she floats through the pitch. Having four goals in 16 caps, she has already made an impact at just 18 years old at Real Madrid, and will be expected to do the same for Colombia.
Trinity Rodman – United States
While many eyes will rightfully be on Sophia Smith to perform and score big goals for the United States, another player who will be asked to find the back of the net is Trinity Rodman.
Rodman was at the front of the Washington Spirit’s league championship as the NWSL’s rookie of the year and signed a four-year contract worth more than $1.1 million, the richest deal in NWSL history.
A fast, athletic and skilled player, Rodman became the youngest USWNT player to bag a brace, scoring both of the United States’ goals in a 2-0 win over Wales on July 9. She is a direct goal-scoring threat who has great touch at the net, can create chances from the wing for teammates like Smith and fills a gap left by injuries.
Jule Brand – Germany
You have to be a special sort of player to win the first-ever Golden Girl award, and 20-year-old Jule Brand is just that. She possesses technique from the left side, but she’s also explosive when she receives the ball, moving with ease to get to the net by darting to the inside.
She scored three goals and tallied four assists in the Frauen Bundesliga last season with Wolfsburg and has proven that she can come off the bench and make an impact, using her size and length to beat defenders while also creating the open shot for her teammates.
Due to Germany’s depth in the roster, she may not get the starting minutes that some other young breakout stars will, but she has the skill and power from the left side to score off well-timed runs and is a real goal-scoring threat for her country.
Other names to watch
There could be a case from every single team as to who their breakout star is and what impact they will have on the tournament, ranging from top-ranked clubs who have added young prodigies to first-timers who are relying on youth talent to make their impact.
Some other players to keep a close eye on during the competition are Kika Nazareth (Portugal), Jayde Riviere (Canada), Maika Hamano (Japan), Katherine Kühl (Denmark), Salma Paralluelo (Spain), Selma Bacha (France), Esmee Brugts (Netherlands), Kerolin (Brazil) and Racheal Kundananji (Zambia).