Hannah Blake celebrates, left, with Emma Main during the OFC U-19 Women's Championship. Photo / Photosport
Hannah Blake celebrates, left, with Emma Main during the OFC U-19 Women's Championship. Photo / Photosport
New Zealand Football recently announced their joint bid with Australia for the hosting rights to the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.
Next year's Olympic Games could spell the end of an era for a number of our Football Ferns, so we run an eye over the top ten teenage footballersthat could be in contention for the pinnacle event in women's sport in four years time.
The youngest player to appear in the national women's league this year at just 15. In 2018 Kondo was one of nine players selected in Japanese club Urawa Reds youth development squad and was the first foreign female to play for the club. Originally from Nelson, Kondo is now based in Wairarapa under the tutelage of Paul Ifill, the decision seems to have paid off with Kondo selected in a New Zealand squad to contest an under 16 women's tournament in China earlier this year.
10= Jana Niedermayr (Central Football), 16
Central Football's Jana Niedermayr, right, with the ball during a National Women's League match. Photosport
Ever-present for a struggling Central Football side in the women's national league, the fact that Niedermayr was handed the captain's armband for much of the season speaks volumes for her ability. While many talented players from New Zealand's heartland areas are forced to move to the main centres to get noticed, the defender has the advantage of under 17 women's head coach Leon Birnie being based in the federation. Expect Nidermayr to be part of the defensive unit when the side comes together to attempt to qualify for a seventh successive under 17 world cup early next year.
9. Nadia Olla (Auckland Football), 19
New Zealand's Nadia Olla with the winner's trophy after the OFC U-19 Women's Championship final. Photosport
The youngest member of the 23-strong world cup squad in France, and currently battling with fellow teenage goalkeeper Anna Leat for a place in the Football Ferns squad for the upcoming Algarve Cup in January 2020. Olla shot to prominence at the under 20 women's world cup in Papua New Guinea with a string of saves helping New Zealand to a notable win over Ghana. Like many on this list, she has significant youth international experience, and made her senior debut at last year's OFC Women's Nations Cup.
8. Gabi Rennie (Mainland Pride), 18
Gabi Rennie after being named in the New Zealand FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup squad. Photosport
2019 was Rennie's fourth season in the national league with the Christchurch-based Mainland Pride in the women's national league, winning three titles along the way. The forward has been called up to a Football Ferns camp in the past but got injured on the opening day which ruled her out for four months. Has indicated that she will make the move to Auckland soon in the build up to next year's under 20 world cup, which, if selected will be her second time attending.
7. Kelli Brown (Northern Lights), 18
New Zealand's Kelli Brown is tackled during an OFC U-19 Women's Championship game against Samoa. Photosport
With an eye for the spectacular Brown is making a habit of scoring memorable goals. Her effort against Finland in Uruguay had casual sports fans taking notice, and she repeated the dose in the national league final against Mainland Pride recently. A self-confessed "country girl" the livewire striker looks set to return to Hamilton after a stint based in Auckland as a member of the Football Ferns Domestic Programme. Her record 21 goal haul at the under 20 qualifiers this year should stand for some time.
Forrest Hill's Aneka Mittendorf attempts to shoot past Glenfield's Alice Noyer during the women's Knock Out Cup Final. Photosport
A player in the mould of the great Abby Erceg, a professional career in the same vein could be a possibility for Mittendorff. Captain of the bronze medal winning side in Uruguay and a member of the under 20s in the same year, the composed defender continues her rise in the game and a Football Ferns call up should not be far away. Another player poised to appear at her third age group world cup next year after attending both the under 17 and under 20 world cups in 2018.
5. Maya Hahn (University of Oregon, USA), 18
Capital's Maya Hahn fights for possession during a Womens' league match. Photosport
Currently involved in an international tug-of-war between New Zealand and Germany, who she is eligible to represent through her through her father. Hahn was won the Golden Ball award for best player at the OFC U-16 Championship on route to the under 17 world cup in Uruguay. Both New Zealand and Germany have qualified for next year's under 20 world cup and FIFA's international eligibility rules mean that she can only change association once in her career, so if she turns out for Germany she will be lost to New Zealand Football. However, the Ole Football Academy product wouldn't be the first kiwi player to do so after Tyler Boyd's switch to the USA after representing New Zealand at age group level.
4. Maggie Jenkins (Northern Lights), 18
New Zealand's Maggie Jenkins in action during the OFC U-19 Women's Championships. Photosport
The Wellington product now calls Auckland home and is another member of the Football Ferns Domestic Programme. A three time age group world cup representative and senior international, her eight goals helped New Zealand coast to their seventh consecutive regional U-19 title earlier this year and book a ticket to next year's under 20 world cup. Turned out for Northern Lights in the national league but endured a lean spell in front of goal by her own lofty standards. With goals seemingly difficult to come by for the Football Ferns, Jenkins could stake a claim as a striking option at the upcoming Algarve Cup in Portugal.
3. Grace Wisnewski (WaiBOP Football), 17
Grace Wisnewski won the golden ball at the OFC U-19 Women's Championship this year. Photosport
The breakout star from the world cup in Uruguay, Wisnewski looks set to have a big future in the game. The Hamilton-based player scored both goals in the 2-1 bronze medal win over Canada, including the fastest ever goal at an under 17 tournament, scoring just 15 seconds after kick off. Wisnewksi won the Golden Ball for best player at the OFC under 19 championship earlier this year and could be a bolter for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games squad.
2. Hannah Blake (University of Michigan, USA), 19
Hannah Blake celebrates, left, with Emma Main during the OFC U-19 Women's Championship. Photo / Photosport
Called up to the Football Ferns for the tour to Thailand at age 17, Blake made her second senior appearance on the recent tour to China. Based the University of Michigan, she appeared in 20 games in 2019, missing just two games due to international team duties with the Football Ferns. Looking to attend her second under 20 world cup next year, Blake will look to emulate her efforts from two years ago where she rifled home a Goal of the Tournament contender against the Netherlands in France.
1. Anna Leat (Georgetown University, USA), 18
Anna Leat is now playing at Georgetown University. Photosport
A regular in Ferns squads since the start of 2017, Leat made her debut that year when she was just 15, having started training with the senior squad two years earlier. She became a household name this year when she won the public vote as the favourite sporting moment at the 2018 Halberg Awards for her winning penalty in the quarter final against Japan at the under 17 world cup. Earlier this year the talented goalkeeper made herself unavailable for the women's world cup in France. Is now a student-athlete at Georgetown University after taking up a scholarship and had a solid freshman season in 2019.
