Six Young Asian Stars to Watch at #FIFAWWC
Kuala Lumpur: The much-awaited FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 is now just days away from kick-off and the tournament will once again provide a perfect stage for some of the world’s most exciting players to showcase their talent in front of a global audience.
18/07/2023 17:03:11
From an 18-year-old Sun Wen at the inaugural World Cup in 1991 to a 16-year-old Homare Sawa four years later and a 19-year-old Ellie Carpenter at the most recent edition in France, we have witnessed many Asian stars take their careers to the next level by making a lasting impact on the competition.
The hope is that the upcoming edition of the tournament will witness new stars from the continent emerge as they look to make a name for themselves on the global stage. The-AFC.com takes a look at a young player from each of Asia’s six representatives who could have a breakout tournament.
Mary Fowler – Australia
She might be just 20 years old, but Mary Fowler is already heading to her second FIFA Women’s World Cup with Australia. The Cairns native made her international debut at the age of 15 years and 162 days and her stock has only risen in the ensuing years as she went to the 2019 World Cup and then made a mark at the 2020 Olympic Games.
The then 18-year-old scored a stunner in extra time to help the Matildas defeat Great Britain 4-3 and reach the semi-finals of the Olympics and was also on target in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup India 2022™. At international level, she has earned 36 caps and scored nine goals, while a year ago she signed for one of the most ambitious clubs in the women’s game in Manchester City.
While Fowler got no game time at France 2019, she is now a key member of the Australian forward line and may benefit from the fact that much of the focus will be on teammate Sam Kerr. She goes into the opener against the Republic of Ireland on Thursday on the back of scoring the winner against France in the Matildas’ final warm-up game on Friday.
Shen Mengyu – China PR
The first-ever Chinese woman to play professional football in the United Kingdom, Shen Mengyu is heading to her first World Cup with the Steel Roses following a stellar season in Scotland where she helped Celtic win the Women’s Cup by defeating Rangers 2-0 in the final.
Shen made her historic move to the Scottish side from Shanghai Shengli in 2021 and helped Celtic win their first-ever league and cup double during her debut season. A versatile midfielder who can play in central and wide positions, she creates scoring opportunities for her teammates and also has a knack for scoring herself.
The 21-year-old missed out on a place in the China PR squad for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo despite being a part of the squad that helped them qualify for the event. But the wait to be part of a major tournament is over as she looks to help China return to their glory days in women’s football.
Former champions Japan head into the 2023 edition with two of the brightest prospects in women’s football. Both 19 years of age, Maika Hamano has impressed on loan at Swedish side Hammarby from Chelsea while Aoba Fujino has had a breakout season with NTV Beleza in the Japanese top flight WE League.
Fujino, in particular, looks set to play a vital role in the World Cup after prominently featuring for the Nadeshiko in their build-up to the tournament. The wide attacker was one of Japan’s best players in the She Believes Cup where Futoshi Ikeda’s side finished second behind the United States earlier this year.
Fujino scored 17 goals in 28 appearances for her club side during the 2022-23 season, including in the final of the Empress’s Cup where her side defeated INAC Kobe Leonessa 4-0 for a record 16th title. Ikeda will be hoping for more of that magic from the youngster as Japan look to return to the summit of women’s football in 2023.
Casey Phair – Korea Republic
Born in the United States to an American father and a Korean mother, 16-year-old Casey Phair is set to become the first mixed-race player, male or female, to represent Korea Republic if she features in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup where they are pitted against former champions Germany, Morocco and Colombia in the group stage.
Phair’s form for the Korean U-17s impressed head coach Colin Bell who named her in his hugely experienced World Cup squad despite the teenager not making her senior debut yet. The striker, who could also become the youngest player ever at a FIFA Women’s World Cup, is the joint-top scorer in the 2024 AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup qualifiers with five goals.
Her exploits have included a double against Tajikistan in their group stage opener and a hat-trick against Hong Kong in April that booked Korea Republic’s place in the second round of the qualifiers. While Phair is unlikely to start, any appearance off the bench would provide a landmark moment for Korean football as they get set for their fourth appearance at the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Nguyen Thi Thanh Nha – Vietnam
Debutants Vietnam’s preparations for the 2023 World Cup saw them take on World No. 2 Germany in a friendly last month. The well-organised Southeast Asians, despite going down 2-1, put on an impressive showing against the formidable opponents and it was Nguyen Thi Thanh Nha who scored their only goal of that game.
Thi Thanh Nha has been touted as the next big thing in Vietnamese football and was part of the squad as the country qualified for their first-ever World Cup ahead of Thailand and Chinese Taipei. She was also on target as Vietnam defeated Myanmar 2-0 to win gold in the Southeast Asian Games earlier this year.
Having recently scored against one of the giants of women’s football, the 21-year-old striker will be keen to replicate her performance at the World Cup where Vietnam are drawn in a tough group featuring two-time defending champions the United States as well as the Netherlands and Portugal.
Isabella Flanigan – Philippines
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While the Philippines’ attacking line-up at their debut FIFA Women’s World Cup boasts of seasoned players like Sarina Bolden and Katrina Guillou, 18-year-old Isabella Flanigan has also managed to make herself indispensable in head coach Alen Stajcic’s plans for the Filipinas.
Born in the United States, Flanigan has already racked up plenty of experience with the Philippines during her fledgling senior international career. She was part of their squad for the most recent AFC Women’s Asian Cup, AFF Women’s Championship and the Southeast Asian Games.
Flanigan scored the Philippines’ opener in a 7-0 win over Singapore in the group stage of the 2022 AFF Championship with a cheeky chip and gave a good account of herself during the remainder of the tournament, and Stajcic will know she is someone he can turn to when the Filipinas are looking for a spark on the field.
Source: The-afc.com
