Linda Caicedo of Colombia celebrates after scoring her group’s first aim through the World Cup match between Germany and Colombia.

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Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Linda Caicedo of Colombia celebrates after scoring her group’s first aim through the World Cup match between Germany and Colombia.

Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

The 2023 Women’s World Cup is already breaking information. It’s the most important match up to now, with 32 collaborating groups. And although it is probably the final alternative for a number of iconic gamers – like Marta and Megan Rapinoe – to win huge for his or her residence nations, there’s additionally an unmistakable rising star on the sector this yr: Colombia’s Linda Caicedo.

Who is she? At solely 18, Caicedo is shortly changing into one of many largest names in soccer.

• She made her skilled debut at age 14 taking part in for América de Cali and completed that yr as the highest scorer within the Colombian league.

• When she was solely 15, Caicedo was recognized with ovarian most cancers. She kept the news relatively private as she underwent surgical procedure to take away a tumor and obtained therapy till declared cancer-free. She wasted no time in returning to the sector, successful her second Colombian league title in 2021. 

• Although already a star at residence, Caicedo earned a a lot bigger highlight throughout her worldwide tournaments final yr. At the Copa America Femenina, she scored the aim that cemented Colombia’s qualification for this yr’s World Cup in addition to the 2024 Olympics. She went on to be named MVP of the match. 

• But Caicedo did not shrink back from a number of the controversies on the Copa America, says soccer journalist and researcher Júlia Belas Trindade. “The players were protesting against the federation for bad conditions, and she was one of the most outspoken players even though she was just 17 at the time.” 

• After turning 18, Caicedo signed to Real Madrid C.F. as a ahead in February. 

What’s the massive deal? Now, Caicedo’s taking part in her third World Cup within the span of a yr, following spectacular performances in each the under-20 and under-17 editions in 2022.

• It’s protected to say her grownup World Cup debut comes with plenty of expectations for a participant on her trajectory. But that hasn’t appeared to sluggish Caicedo down: she scored a aim in every Colombia’s first two matches, together with one which arrange the nation’s historic win over Germany on Sunday.

• Trindade says her second aim – and Caicedo’s footwork – is the spotlight of the teenager’s efficiency up to now, and exhibits simply how a lot she’s capable of navigate the stress that even older gamers wrestle with through the World Cup.

• “She enters the box, she dribbles, and then she pulls the ball a little bit to the right. She kicks the ball and it goes straight into the goal – that is brilliant, and that’s something that’s not easy to do at all. But Linda makes it look really easy.”

• But even with Caicedo’s splashy success throughout her first two video games, followers and analysts are elevating concerns in regards to the participant’s well being, particularly given her medical historical past. In a video from a coaching session final week, Caicedo unexpectedly lay down as her teammates and medical personnel rushed to her aspect. On Sunday’s sport towards Germany, the participant additionally retreated to the bottom and obtained help from her group’s medics. Both cases have been attributed to fatigue and exhaustion. 

• “We know that Linda had some problems in the past, but nothing to be worried about,” Colombia’s assistant coach Angelo Marsiglia stated after Sunday’s occasions. “She was very tired of course. She had a bit of acceleration in her heart, but this wasn’t a problem.”

• Trindade emphasizes that there isn’t any use in speculating about Caicedo’s well being, however that given her battle with most cancers and younger age, it is smart the general public is concentrated on her well-being. 

• “She might just be tired, or she might just be jet lagged. But if she’s not, then how do we address that as media, as fans, as a federation, as FIFA?” she says. “There is a responsibility on all of these entities to players’ health in general. That’s something that’s been neglected for so many years, and it’s really good that we’re now paying attention to it and demanding answers and demanding things to be better.”

What are individuals saying? She has an excellent shiny future, on this World Cup and past.

• After simply the primary two video games, Caicedo was already being known as one of many heroes of this yr’s match. U.S. participant Sam Mewis, who’s sidelined with an damage this yr however masking the World Cup for the Men in Blazers media community, told NPR’s Sacha Pfeiffer: 

• “She’s a really dangerous attacking player. To perform at this level in such a huge tournament with all eyes on you and big pressure — I think it’s just a sign of how talented she is and that we should expect big things from her to come.”

• Even earlier than this World Cup began, Caicedo was already being compared to the likes of Marta, the Brazilian participant who’s scored extra World Cup objectives than any man or girl. The indisputable fact that Caicedo then grew to become the second youngest participant from South America to attain a aim within the World Cup – following Marta’s report when she was 17 – solely bolstered these parallels. 

• Trindade says it is a truthful and fascinating comparability, and exhibits how a lot Marta’s outspokenness to uplift youthful gamers is paying off. 

• “Linda has something this younger generation, born in the 2000s, has: they’re really comfortable in the spotlight, I think because of social media,” she says. “They don’t mind being visible, while Marta for so many years – because of so much prejudice, because of her own personality – couldn’t. I don’t think [Caicedo] will have to go through so many of the things Marta did.”

• And in a sport that also struggles for recognition and funding in its area, Trindade sees Caicedo as a brand new beacon of hope for the way forward for soccer not simply in Colombia, however throughout the continent.

• “More than just comparing and saying Linda Caicedo is the new Marta, we have to say Linda Caicedo is a continuation of Marta’s legacy, a new step into women’s football and what it can become in South America.”

So, what now?

• Colombia will face off towards Morocco on Thursday for his or her final match of the group stage. They’re at the moment main group H. 

• Following Sunday’s victory, Caicedo famous that the group already had their sights set on the following sport. “We haven’t won anything yet,” she said. “The World Cup is ongoing.”

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