By OkayGoal 
One of the best things about soccer is that it is all over the world. You can find a Soccerista anywhere you go! And I’m sure a lot of Socceristas reading this right now have been playing since they could walk. With both of those things in mind, let’s learn about some of the youngest international players on the rise right now!
Vicky Lopez
18-year-old Vicky Lopez is one of Spain’s finest players at the moment. She is an offensive player who can do it all: move the ball, strike, set up opportunities, read the play, everything. Lopez began playing for Barcelona when she was 16 and has been a member of the Spanish National Team since her U-17 days as well.
Vicki Becho
Vicki Becho is a French Forward who, at 21, already has over 60 caps for the French National Team. She trained with Paris Saint-Germain Academy for several years of her youth career before signing to Lyon in 2020. She is one of Lyon’s finest up-and-coming strikers, with eight goals over 51 appearances.
Haley Bugeja
Though you might not have heard of her home nation of Malta, there’s a chance you’ve heard of 21-year-old Haley Bugeja. She played for a season with Orlando Pride back in 2022, but before that, she made her first cap with the Maltese National Team at age 14. She is currently playing with Inter Milan in Italy and doing incredible things on the front line.
Mary Fowler
One of the younger Matildas, Mary Fowler, has been on the rise for several years now, and we love to watch her play. This 22-year-old midfielder/forward is such an aggressive talent. She has 15 goals for Australia since her senior call—up in 2018—when she was 15 years old—and has been instrumental in filling that Sam Kerr-shaped hole in the interim.
Jule Brand
If you’re a German football fan, you’ve already heard of Jule Brand, but for everyone else, here is the bullet. Brand is 22 and has been in the big leagues since 2018. She has been awarded some of the highest prizes in German soccer and was instrumental in her nation taking home Bronze in the last Olympics.
Giulia Dragoni
18 years old and already doing some of the best goal-scoring work out there, Giulia Dragoni has a huge future ahead of her. Only two years into her professional career, Dragoni has already played for some of the biggest clubs in the Italian league: Inter Milan, Barcelona, and now Roma. Dragoni is one of those midfielders who knows how to play mind games and get creative to create goal-scoring opportunities.
Linda Caicedo
Linda Caicedo is a name we are really looking forward to hearing more, and at just 20 we are sure to. Caicedo is a finisher, plain and simple. She had16 goals for her previous club Deportivo Cali and is currently at 7 for Real Madrid after just one full season. Caicedo plays for the Columbian National Team and made some of the most brilliant showings for her country at the 2023 World Cup and 2024 Olympics with pivotal goals.
Melchie Dumornay
Born in Haiti and playing in France, Melchie Dumornay is a talented player and a lot of fun to watch on the pitch. Dumornay is 21 and an incredible physical player, which has been such an asset to her as a midfielder. Not only can she work someone off the ball, but she can also dribble and trick with the best of them.
Tarciane
Tarciane is 20 and has already been deemed essential for Brazil’s backline. Brazil is notorious for getting its most talented players in the big leagues young, and Tarciane is no exception, having begun her senior career at 16. Tarciane is 6 feet tall, which makes her an incredible asset on set pieces and in her role as center back, where she performs for both her national team and Lyon.
Maika Hamano
Closing out our list is 20-year-old Maika Hamano from Japan. Hamano hit it big after being transferred to Chelsea in 2023, and she’s been on the rise ever since. Hamano, of course, also plays for the Japanese National Team and was part of the winning 2025 SheBelieves roster and the 2024 Olympic squad.
Featured image via Getty Images
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