The biggest edition of the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup will soon begin in Colombia, as an expanded group of 24 teams will battle it out for the title. The participants include all five previous winners and four debutants, so a tournament as exciting as it is fascinating is expected.

The key figures are, of course, the players for whom this is the biggest platform to showcase their talent. Here are six starlets who could have outstanding seasons:

🇨🇴 Linda Caicedo

Colombia seem determined to make their home World Cup one to remember, having called up experienced senior international Linda Caicedo. Of course, she is eligible to take part as she is only 19 years old, but she has already been competing at senior level for five years!

She made her debut for club and senior teams at the age of 14 and quickly established herself as one of the most promising talents in world football. Almost all of the world’s best clubs vied for her signature, but Real Madrid were successful and signed her when she had just turned 18. She has already made around 50 appearances for Las Blancas.

Caicedo is an electrifying winger whose quality she showed the world with her outstanding performances and her stunning goal against Germany at the last senior World Cup. Almost every defender will be afraid to face her.

🇩🇪 Ally Sentnor

The United States Women’s National Team (USWNT) aims to win its fourth U-20 Women’s World Cup title and become the most successful team in the competition’s history, and Ally Sentnor will be a key figure in that endeavor.

She has scored nine goals in 16 appearances at that level and has also made an impression on the senior team this year. After her outstanding performances for the North Carolina Tar Heels, she was the number one player in this year’s NWSL and has since become one of the few bright spots in an otherwise disappointing Utah Royals team.

Like Caicedo, Sentnor is capable of spectacular attacks, as she likes to cut inside from the left and fire a powerful shot from distance. Her decision-making and composure in the final third could make her the USWNT’s biggest attacking threat.

🇨🇦 Olivia Smith

Canada has never reached the semi-finals of the U-20 World Cup since the tournament’s first edition in 2002 and will be desperate to change that record this time around. Much of their hopes rest on the shoulders of Olivia Smith, who is by far her team’s best player.

She has an incredible record of 20 goals in 18 games at this level, which is even more impressive considering she is a midfielder! She also has 10 senior appearances to her name and played for Sporting CP in her first season in Europe. She proved to be one of the best players in the Portuguese league and earned a move to Liverpool.

An all-round midfielder, he can do it all, from dropping back and building up passes to creating chances and scoring threats in and around the box. Smith will surely play a key role in almost every promising move the Canadian makes.

🇲🇽 Alice Soto

Like local hero Caicedo, Alice Soto has a lot of professional experience despite her age. She only turned 18 in March, but has already been playing for Pachuca for over three years. She made her debut at the age of 13!

Unlike the Real Madrid star, however, Soto still has a lot of room to develop. She is an exceptionally versatile attacker who can play in any position in the front four, but seems to prefer the right flank. What makes her a little difficult to profile right away is the fact that her movement without the ball is one of the best aspects of her game, meaning she needs the right kind of support rather than specific areas to operate in.

Therefore, a lot will depend on how well her teammates can support her, but Soto is sure to stand out whenever she gets anywhere near the ball.

🇧🇷 Priscila Flor da Silva

After reaching the semi-finals last time, Brazil now wants to go one better and reach the final of a U-20 World Cup in Colombia for the first time. They will be relying on Priscila Flor da Silva to score the goals – and rightly so.

The 20-year-old striker also has experience with her senior national team, having been part of the team that won the silver medal at this year’s Olympics, but her most impressive performances have come for her club. Priscila was the top scorer in the Copa Libertadores last year, scoring eight goals in just six games!

If she finds this form again at the World Cup, it will be very difficult for the defenders to stop her.

🇦🇺 Indiana Dos Santos

Sixteen-year-old Indiana Dos Santos is the youngest player in Australia’s World Cup squad, so she is unlikely to start every game, but she is expected to play and when she is on the field she will definitely be one to keep an eye on.

The youngest player for one of Australia’s most successful clubs, Sydney FC, Dos Santos has already played in and won two A-League Grand Finals! She is an attacker similar to Soto and offers great movement without the ball, but she is more direct as she likes to run behind or dribble past defenders.

Of course, she still has a lot of time to develop and grow, but Dos Santos is already a very promising attacking talent.