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Aaron Nielsen ,

June 5, 2015 Email

Aaron Nielsen



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@prospectXI

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The Women's World Cup is now upon us, and like every major sporting tournament, especially Cup competitions, it presents a stage for players to boost their recognition and make a name for themselves. From World Cups, both men and women, to Olympic tournaments, these tournaments all have stories around players stepping up and propelling their country to success. While it would be useful to run through each team and point out who their most important players are, what might be a more useful exercise is identifying players who are in a position this year to emerge as stars for their country and do so during this World Cup. The likes of Christine Sinclair, Abby Wambach, Marta, Lotta Schelin, Simone Laudehr are all well known through the media and to those who follow the women's game, even casually. With a huge audience watching this year's World Cup, both live and on television, there will be names made and remembered for years and decades to come. With this in mind, below is Prospect Eleven's run down of Groups A-C and the players who are in a position to break out as stars for their national team. Group A Adriana Leon

F - Canada

DOB: 10-02-1992



Leon is a Mississauga, Ontario native began her collegiate career with Notre Dame University by winning a 2010 national championship in her freshman season and finishing the 2011 season as the team's leading scorer. She then transferred to University of Florida, helping lead the team to regular season and tournament championships. It was with the Canadian U-20 national team where Leon made her name and presence felt as one of the key players to help Canada qualify for the 2012 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Japan. She made her senior international debut against China on January 12, 2013, scoring the game-winning goal in a 1–0 victory. Her professional club career began with the Boston Breakers as part of NWSL’s allocation process, however was traded within the season to the Chicago Red Stars for Canadian international teammate Carmelina Moscato. Making her FIFA Women’s World Cup debut on home soil will be an interesting experience for Leon, as she is part of both the present and future generation of the Canadian national team. As players like Christine Sinclair and Melissa Tancredi near retirement, the torch will be passed to the likes of Leon to carry the Canadian program forward as her skills continue to develop for club and country. Wang Fei

GK - China

DOB: 22-04-1990



Most of the Women’s Chinese National Team remains as a unit throughout the year, almost as a club team. Although, goalkeeping prospect Fei Wang has elected to play in the toughest Women’s league in the World for the 2015-15 season: the German Bundesliga. Wang has played very well in her eight games and so far two shutouts, including holding Bayern Munchen away to just one goal. She’s an athletic keeper who can make diving saves and plays a lot larger than her 5’9” frame. Based on the squad China PR sent to the 2015 Algrave Cup, the team was very young with Wang Fei at 25 years of age one of the most senior players. It’s not sure what collection of players China will be sending to the 2015 World Cup in Canada, including the potential addition of more experienced goalkeepers although if China is to succeed in the tournament we feel Wang Fei will be a key contributor. Abby Erceg

D - New Zealand

DOB: 11-20-1989



A dominant defender in the Women’s game, Ecreg has represented her native New Zealand 100 times and has been recruited to play for club teams in Spain, Australia, Germany and the United States. Abby played youth soccer as a forward, including with the New Zealand U20 team, but moved to Center Back with the senior team starting at the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup Final. She also played in the 2008 Summer Olympics and the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The most dominant feature for Erceg is her height at 5’10, which makes her useful defending crosses and also an asset going forward especially on set plays. In her first season in the German Bundesliga, she scored five goals with USV Jena, with four of them being headers. Erceg also has good footballing skills which has seen her play left-back when needed and is also team leader with fellow defender Ria Percival, as they try to improve New Zealand’s record of one win and two draws in 16 World Cup and Olympic Final tournaments games. Vivianne Miedema

F - Netherlands

DOB: 07-15-1996



Arguably the most promising prospect in the Women’s game, at only 18 years of age, Vivianne's soccer skills and goal scoring ability has led the Netherlands to their first major women’s tournament. She scored 16 goals in 13 qualifiers game, which included hat-tricks against Portugal twice, and Greece and had 11 shots and a goal in a 2-1 loss to highly ranked Norway. Miedema started playing in the top Dutch women’s soccer league as a 15 year old with SC Heerenveen and scored 10 goals in 17 games. By her third season with her hometown club, she scored 41 goals in 26 games, which led to her signing a contract with Bayern Munchen. In 2014-2015 Bayern Munchen won the German Bundesliga title, with Vivianne scoring six goals and adding four assists in 16 games. Miedema was also the top goals scorer at the 2014 UEFA Women’s U19 Championship, where she scored six goals scoring four more goals than any other player in the tournament and helping the Dutch win the tournament. Despite her young age, Vivianne will be looked as a leader as the Dutch look to upset teams including Canada in the group stages. GROUP B Celia Sasic

F - Germany

DOB: 06-27-1988



A prolific youth goal scorer with duel French and German citizenship, Sasic decided to play for Germany playing on the 2004 FIFA U19 Women’s World Cup championship side. She scored 15 goals in 13 games at U17, 11 goals in 12 games at U19, two goals in four games at U20 level and so 57 goals in 103 games with the German National Team including two goals in four games during the 2011 Women’s World Cup. Sasic has played in the Bundesliga since 2004, although spent many seasons with Bad Neuenahr - one of the lower teams in the league, although was still a consistent goal scorer including scoring 17 goals during the 2010-2011 season. She transferred to FFC Frankfurt in 2013 and won the league championship in 2013-2014 season and is the leading goal scorer during the 2014-2015 season. Nisa Romyen

F - Thailand

DOB: 01-18-1990



With 24 countries participating in the 2015 FIFA World Cup, it meant five spots were given to the Asian Football Confederation and a chance for Thailand to advance to the Final Tournament, despite winning only two games and being outscored 13 to 4 in the 2014 AFC Women’s Asian Cup. To be competitive, Thailand has played a number of friendlies and tournaments and loaned some players out to bigger leagues. Nisa was not loaned out and has only played domestically, as she’s a student at North Bangkok University, however based on recent national team appearances she looks to be the most exciting player representing Thailand. She was the leading goal scorer at the 2015 AFF Women’s Championship scoring nine goals and helping the Thailand win the tournament. She was also the leading goal scorer at the 2014 Asian Games with eight goals despite Thailand finishing 6th. In limited scouting, Romyen looks to be a quick striker with some technical skills who isn’t willing to make attempts, including a step over to give her space. I don’t expect Thailand to have much of the ball at the 2015 Women’s World Cup, but Nisa might be one player to look for. Jose Nahi

F - Ivory Coast

DOB: 05-29-1989



A tenacious worker with plenty of athletic ability and raw skill, Nahi will lead the forward line for Cote D’Ivoire in the 2015 Women’s World Cup. Nahi has been part of the Cote D’Ivoire national team since 2007, although was recognized as a player with potential during the 2012 African Nations Women’s championship and recruited to play in Europe. She originally signed with Serbian side Spartak Subotica, who played in the UEFA Women’s Champions League and then moved to Russia side Zvezda Perm. During the 2014 season she won the Russian Championship with Zverda scoring five goals in 12 games and also helped Cote d’Ivoire finish third during the 2014 African Cup Women’s Championship scoring two goals and qualifying for the 2015 Women’s World Cup. Ada Hegerberg

F - Norway

DOB: 07-10-1995



Ada was on the Norwegian U20 side as 15 year old playing in the 2011 UEFA Women’s U19 Championship, and the 2012 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup and scored a goal against Canada in the Group Stage. She made her senior debut in 2011 and played in the 2013 UEFA Women Euro’s, helping Norway make the finals and scoring against Spain as an 18 year old. Hegerberg started her professional career in the Norwegian league, first with Kolbotn and then to Stabaek, where she scored 25 goals in 18 games during the 2012 season. She and her sister singed with German Bundesliga side Turbine Potsdam, where she scored 11 goals in 25 games over two season. She then signed with French side Olympique Lyon, winning the 2014-2015 France Ligue 1 going undefeated and scored 26 goals in 21 games. Ada plays a typical center forward role and uses her height to cause trouble in the box as well as holding up the ball. She is also capable of playing the ball at her feet and can use her strength to almost run through players with and without the ball. Look for her to dominate the defense of the weaker countries and can cause a tactical problems every country in the tournament. GROUP C Mana Iwabuchi

F - Japan

DOB: 03-18-1993



A dynamic dribbler with the ball, Iwabuchi uses her low sense of gravity to give Japan options on the wing is looking to use the 2015 Women’s World Cup as her breakout tournament. Used as a substitute during the 2011 World Cup, she came off the bench in five of the six games helping Japan win the tournament. Mana has been a prospect for a number of years since winning the Tournament’s MVP in the 2008 FIFA U-17 World Cup in New Zealand. After winning three Japan women league championship and twice Asian Young Footballer of the Year, Iwabuchi decide to move to Germany to play against tougher opposition throughout the year and improve her overall conditioning. She signed with newly promoted Hoffenheim during the 2013-2014 season, playing in 21 games and scoring six goals and nine assists and avoiding relegation. For 2014-2015 season she was moved and helped Bayern Munchen win the Bundeslgia title playing in 13 games and scoring three goals. Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic

F - Switzerland

DOB: 10-03-1990



Crnogorcevic won the Swiss Women’s senior cup at the age of 17, was the Swiss league’s top goal scorer at the age of 18 and moved to German Bundesliga club Hamburger SV at the age of 19. She was also prolific goal scorer for the for the Swiss U-19 team scoring 25 goals in 29 games and advancing to the Semi’s at the 2009 UEFA Women’s U-19 Championship. She also made or senior debut with the Swiss National Team in 2009. Since 2009, Anna-Maria has played six seasons in the German Bundesliga, two with Hamburger SV where she scored 14 goals in 39 games and four with FFC Frankfurt a giant team in Women’s Football where she has scored 15 goals in 60 games winning two DFB-Pokal but has yet to win a Bundesliga title. Due to depth at forward, Crnogorcevic has played multiple position with FFC Frankfurt, including Left Midfielder and even Left Back, while with the Swiss national team she has played mostly forward, although sometimes on the wing when playing three up front. Anna-Maria is a hard worker who puts a full shift in, yet she also plays with control and can make smart decisions under pressure and finish chances including as the Swiss main penalty taker. Shirley Berruz

GK - Ecuador

DOB: 01-06-1991



2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup will be the Ecuador National Team's first major tournament that they qualified for and the main reason they advanced was their defense and the performance of 23 year old keeper Shirley Berruz. Ecuador hosted the 2014 Sudamericano and qualified for the 2nd round after beating both Peru and Venezuela 1-0. In the Second round they lost to Brazil and Colombia but beat Argentina with Berruz making a few key saves. Ecuador then advanced for the playoff round against Trinidad & Tobago with the Winner going to the final they tied 0-0 at home and then won the second leg with a goal in 91st minute in Trinidad. Trinidad out shot Ecuador in both games and again Shirley was key player in advancing. In total she has played nine times for Ecuador and allowing 11 goals for a country that traditional lost by eight goals against countries like Brazil. Ecuador is the least experienced and professional team in the tournament, so Berruz will be busy in net and can play an important role. Gaelle Enganamouit

M - Cameroon

DOB: 06-09-1992



One of the only professional soccer player on the Cameroon side, Gaelle is strong and athletic midfielder who controls most of the Cameroon national team play from center midfield. She became a name in soccer as a sub during the 2012 London Olympic Games, where as a 20 year old she was used as a sub three times. Since the Olympics, Gaelle has attempted to compete professionally in Europe, first with Serbian side Spartak Subotica who won the league and made it to the UEFA Champions League, and then signing newly promoted side Esklistuna United in one of the most competitive women’s league, the Swedish Damallsvenskan. Enganamouit showed she was strong and technically gifted enough to play in Sweden scoring six goals in 19 games and helping Esklistuna stay in the top division. She was also Cameroon's leading goal scorer in the African qualifiers for the 2015 Women’s World Cup scoring three goals including a goal in the semi-finals that secured qualification.