Football
Tokyo 2020: Top 5 Women Footballers to watch out for at Tokyo Olympics
The women's football event promises to be a grandeur at Tokyo Olympics, here are the top 5 players to watch out for.
The Women's football at the Tokyo Olympics kicks off July 21 and runs until August 6. Here are the Top 5 Women Footballers to watch out for at the Olympics.
(The list is an opinion, and the players have been placed in no order of preference.)
5. Jordyn Huitema
Age: 19 Position: Forward Club: Paris Saint-Germain (Division 1 Féminine, France) Country: Canada International caps/goals: 32/13
The British Columbian footballer has come up through the youth team at the Vancouver Whitecaps, had caught the eye of coaches at Paris Saint-Germain in 2018. At first, she started playing with the French Champions on a part-time non-contract basis, but chose not to sign a full-time contract to maintain her eligibility to play college soccer.
In 2019, Huitema changed her mind and opted to turn fully professional, leaving college. She signed a deal with PSG that summer and has become a key member of the squad since then. She is also the other half of a footballing couple, as her boyfriend is the Canadian left-back Alphonso Davies who plays for Bayern Munich.
4. Marta
Age: 34 Position: Forward Club: Orlando Pride (NWSL, USA) Country: Brazil International caps/goals: 154/108
Marta is a Brazilian footballer with both Brazilian and Swedish citizenship. She plays for the Orlando Pride in the National Women's Soccer League and the Brazil national team as a striker. She is an icon for the generation and is widely regarded as one of the best football players. She holds the record for most goals in Brazilian International Football, male or female, with 109 goals for her country.
3. Alex Morgan
Age: 31 Position: Forward Club: Orlando Pride (NWSL, USA Country: USA International caps/goals: 170/107
Alex Morgan is a star striker for the Orlando Pride of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), the highest division of women's professional soccer in the United States, and the United States women's national soccer team.
She co-captained the United States women's national soccer team with Carli Lloyd and Megan Rapinoe from 2018 to 2020. She is one of the best strikers in Women's football and will be waiting to light up the Tokyo Olympics just like she performed at the Women's World Cup and Rio Olympics.
2. Lieke Martens
Age: 28 Position: Midfielder Club: Barcelona (Primera División, Spain) Country: Netherlands International caps/goals: 118/47
Like Martens is a Women's World Cup runner-up with the Dutch national team in 2019 and UEFA Women's Championship winner in 2017 with French club Lyon. She has over a hundred appearances for the Oranje, netting nearly 50 goals along the way.
She was a crucial player in the European Championship triumph for the Dutch and was named the UEFA Women's Player of the Year and The Best FIFA Women's Player in that season.
She will be looking to avenge the World Cup final defeat against the USA and the Netherlands home in Japan.
1. Megan Rapinoe
Age: 35 Position: Midfielder Club: OL Reign (NWSL, USA) Country: USA International caps/goals: 170/54
Raphine plays as a winger and captains OL Reign of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the United States national team. She is the winner of the Ballon d'Or Féminin and was named The Best FIFA Women's Player in 2019. Rapinoe was a part of the team that won the gold medal at the London Olympics and was a key player when the USA won the 2015 and 2019 Women's world cup.
She will be someone who the world would have their eyes on at the Tokyo Games.
Who do you think have we missed out in the list? And what are your predictions for the football events at Tokyo 2021? Let us know in the comments below,