Ten players to watch in 2023 | UEFA Women’s Champions League
Women’s football has entered a new phase in 2022, with a new generation of players rising to challenge the established order. Here are ten nuggets to watch in 2023.
This list has been selected from UEFA.com and is not intended to compete with the official awards.
Mara Alber (Germany, 17 – Hoffenheim)
After a two-year break, the UEFA youth competitions have returned for the 2021/22 season. This allowed the next generation of under-17 and under-19 talent to shine. Germany regained their dominance at the EURO U17F after a spectacular final against Spain in May, winning on penalties in Sarajevo after Alber’s superb equalizer with a superb curling strike from outside the box.
On the right side of the attack, Alber impressed with his creativity throughout the tournament. She has never been afraid to challenge her opponents one-on-one and she continued that momentum at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in India, where she was named the third best player of the competition as Germany reached the semi-finals. 2. A regular starter with Hoffenheim’s reserves in the Bundesliga, Alber even made his first-team debut against Bayer Leverkusen at the end of April.
Nicole Arcangeli (ITA, 19 – Juventus)
Arcangeli finished top scorer at the EURO U19 final in the Czech Republic alongside Melvine Malard, Patri Guijarro, Marie-Antoinette Katoto, Stina Blackstenius or Vivianne Miedema. His five goals showed the extent of his talent and earned him promotion to the Juve first team, where he made two appearances last season.
Compared to Riccione’s Arianna Fabbri’s club-mate Barabara Bonansea, who Arcangeli trained with before joining Juve in 2019, the striker is difficult to take on in a duel and can play on one side.
Serina Backmark (ISWE, 19 – AIK)
Backmark conceded just two goals in four games as Sweden qualified for the U19 EURO semi-finals and saved a penalty in a 2-0 win over Germany in the Czech Republic qualifier. In total, he kept five clean sheets in nine games for Sweden U19s last season and made the cut to the U23 side.
Esmee Brugts (NED, 19 – PSV Eindhoven)
The left-handed striker, who was a EURO U17 finalist with the Netherlands in 2019, became PSV’s starting line-up the following year. She made her senior league debut against France in February and scored her first goal in a FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifier against Cyprus in April. At the Women’s EURO, Brugts was a substitute (three entries).
Brugts’ goal in a decisive World Cup qualifier against Iceland in a 1-0 victory ensured the Netherlands avoided the play-offs and qualified for the finals. Starting in the last two friendlies against Norway and Costa Rica, Brugts, who scored in the second game in an unusual left-back role, will play an important role under new national coach Andris Jonker.
Laurina Fazer (FRA, 19 – Paris Saint-Germain)
The midfielder confirmed that she was the author of the outstanding goal in her debut match against WFC Kharkiv in the Women’s Champions League in December 2021. The versatile and skilled Fazer was named the best young player in the Women’s D1 last season and captained her country to the quarter-finals of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
Called up to the France A team in October, Fazer suffered a broken hand a few days later, which prevented him from being named in the Paris squad, but he returned to the starting XI for the Champions League win in Valencia in December.
Gaupset sign (NOR, 17 – Brann)
After making his debut for Sandviken at the end of 2021, the midfielder has since become a starter, with the club rebranding as Brann this year. It remains in the national double. Gaupset scored two goals in a 3-1 win over Stabæk in the Norwegian Cup final.
At the EURO U17s, he scored six goals in three games in the second round, and also scored Norway’s only goal in May’s final against Finland in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He performed impressively in the first round of the next edition in October.
wiki Lopez (ESP, 16 – Barcelona)
Winners of the FIFA U-17 and U-20 World Cups as well as the U19 EURO, Spain’s generation can count on a bewildering array of up-and-coming talent, but few speak louder than Vicky. Prolific at youth level with Madrid CFF, he became the youngest player to play in Spain’s top flight in September 2021 at the age of 15 years and 2 months, and had an excellent campaign at left back for Spain’s U17 team in Bosnia and Herzegovina. able to function as an attack, playmaker.
Barcelona bought him from Madrid in July on his 16th birthday. Although he has spent this season mostly on the bench, he made a first-team appearance against Granadilla Tererife in September and joined Real Madrid in November. Meanwhile, Vicky went to the World Cup in India and was named Player of the Tournament as Spain defended their title.
Nina Matejić (SRB, 17 – Red Star)
Matejic’s reputation began to extend beyond Serbia when the 16-year-old started for Serbia in World Cup qualifying in Germany aged 16 and scored after three minutes. After playing with the boys until the age of 14, she quickly rose to the Serbian Women’s D1 and scored 39 goals for Pozarevac in the 2020/21 season, earning Matejić a call-up to the A national team. Game against Germany.
Last summer, he moved from Sloga Zemun to the increasingly ambitious Crvena zvezda (Red Star Belgrade). Hard-working and skilled in front of goal, he has been the Belgrade club’s top scorer this fall. He was also the top scorer in the first qualifying round of the EURO U19s, scoring seven goals in three games as Serbia topped their group ahead of Italy, Hungary and Wales as they continued to be part of the second team.
Ana Milovic (SVN, 21 – Olimpija Ljubljana)
He turned 21 in July, but Milovic has already surpassed 200 Seniors goals for Olimpija in less than 100 games. He has already become Slovenia’s top scorer twice in the 2021/22 season with 66 goals in 19 games, breaking Mateja Zver’s 15-year-old record. He started the 2022/23 season on a similar pace with 38 goals in 11 games. Its total number is 62 for the calendar year 2022.
He is also a regular member of an improving Slovenia team with one game to go in the 2023 World Cup qualifiers.
Katie Robinson (England, 20 – Brighton & Hove Albion)
Young talents such as Alessia Russo, Lauren Hemp and Ella Toone have been crucial to England’s success at EURO 2022, but more are to come, including winger Robinson, who shone at EURO U17 2019 before starting for A against Norway last November.
Robinson recovered from an anterior cruciate ligament injury at Bristol City before joining Brighton in 2020. He was loaned out to Charlton Athletic in 2022 and returned to the Seagulls this autumn. His pace and tackling ability make him a player to watch.
PLAYERS TO WATCH FROM PREVIOUS YEARS
2022
Jules Brand
Naomi Feller
Maja Jelcic
Rome Leuchter
Maya Le Tissier
Misa Rodriguez
Emma Snerle
Elizabeth Terland
Jarne Teulings
Katja Wienerroither
2021
Vicky Becho
Julie Blakstad
Haley Bugeja
Lene Christensen
Svenja Fölmli
Paulina Krumbiegel
Lauren James
Sveindis Jane Jonsdottir
Eva Navarro
Lena Oberdorf
2020
Laia Aleixandri
Hannah Bennison
Emily Bragstad
Lauren Hemp
Sophia Kleinherne
Anna Koivunen
Melvin Mallard
Jamie Lee Napier
Sophie Svava
Nikita Tromp
