8 Key Olympic Women’s Soccer Players to Watch

July 21, 2021
By Rohtas Wadera

The Tokyo Olympics are right around the corner, and the women’s soccer competition is sure to be a marquee event. While the narrative surrounding the USWNT is to win the gold medal, there’s plenty of other talent that will be on display. After all, the Olympics are an international competition and we’d be remiss not to shed light on some star players to keep an eye on. With that being said, here are eight Olympic women’s soccer players to watch:

Christen Press – USWNT

The USWNT is a dream team of superstar players, but the most important player might be Christen Press. After winning Woman of the Match in three straight games of the Summer Series, she does a little bit of everything for the team. Press can create chances on the wing or score goals from inside and outside the box. When the former Stanford star is at her best, the USWNT is unstoppable. Things open up for players like Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe, and Tobin Heath when Press is playing well. Expect Christen Press to play a huge role for the USWNT at the Olympics.

Debinha – Brazil

Debinha is the consensus best player in the NWSL, and her country needs her to rise to the occasion and dominate for Brazil. Marta and Formiga will be there to help, but if Debhina cannot create chances or score for Brazil, they will not be in the running for a medal. Whether it’s dribbling in tight spaces, using her anticipation and pressure to create turnovers, or her deadly finishing, she’s a complete player. It’s time for Debinha to announce herself as the next Brazilian superstar after Marta.

Kailen Sheridan – Canada

There’s no doubt that Kailen Sheridan is one of the best goalkeepers in the world. Many will talk about Canada’s forward, Christine Sinclair, but Sinclair can’t score every game. If Sheridan can bring her form from Gotham FC into the Olympics for her country, Canada will feel confident knowing it won’t be easy to score against them. The better she plays, the better the chance Canada has of winning a medal since their offense simply hasn’t gotten it done in the past.

Sam Kerr – Australia

This is an easy choice for the Matildas. Sam Kerr has finally been winning domestic trophies at Chelsea, but is an Olympic medal on the cards? The Aussies feature a ton of talent as they always do, but their success starts and ends with Sam Kerr. Her ability to put pressure on opposing defenses with her movement, aerial ability, and deadly finishing make her a threat to score in every game. If the Aussies are to have a fighting chance at a medal, Sam Kerr needs to find the back of the net or create opportunities for her teammates.

Lieke Martens – Netherlands

While Vivianne Miedema is the star scorer upfront, it’s Lieke Martens who, arguably, will make more of a difference for the Dutch. After watching her shred the Chelsea backline to pieces in the Champions League final, it’s clear she’s in amazing form. When she’s running at defenders with reckless abandon, it strikes fear into opposing defenses. If any team has a real chance to take out the USWNT, it would have to be the Netherlands, with Martens leading the charge.

Fran Kirby – Great Britain

Fran Kirby is such an important player for both Chelsea and Great Britain. After coming back with a vengeance this season, all eyes will be on her to do the same for GBR at the Olympics. The midfield maestro is a creator unlike any other in women’s soccer; her ability to set her teammates up will be critical to their success. Kirby is a one-of-a-kind talent who can unlock any defense at any time. With the surrounding talent that GBR has, Kirby is the perfect player to play to everyone else’s strengths in the attack. GBR has high expectations, and they should be in the running for a medal when it’s all said and done.

Caroline Seger – Sweden

Sweden brings an experienced and tough team to the Olympics, with numerous players who have been in this position before. The captain and leader is Caroline Seger, who has played all around the world for some of the best clubs, such as PSG and Lyon. Her ability to keep the team mentally sharp and focused in both phases of the game, especially against the USWNT, will be critical in taking them on. Maintaining their defense-first philosophy has always been a priority, and Seger will be huge in implementing that.

Mana Iwabuchi – Japan

Mana Iwabuchi just wrapped a successful half-season with Aston Villa on loan. Her next stop will be Arsenal, one of the better clubs in the FA WSL. If Arsenal deems her a player of that quality, then she’s more than capable of producing moments of genius like she did for Aston Villa. Japan has plenty of tacticians who can get her the ball through set pieces or through balls for her to finish. Even though they won’t have fans, Japan will be expected to compete for a medal as the host, and Mana Iwabuchi will have to play a big role in that for her country.

Featured Image via @USWNT on Instagram