Presenting La Princesa Nominees

Antía Veiga's story stands apart. The young goalkeeper lost sight in one eye as a child following an accident, yet refused to let it end her football journey. Instead, she continued her development and worked her way into Deportivo's first team.

Her story is a bit similar to Hannah Hampton's. Hampton also grew up in Spain and was told not to play sport due to an eye condition. And you know what she did. But Veiga has her own story. She is proving that her future will be defined by her football rather than the obstacles she has faced.

France's first-choice goalkeeper at U19 level, playing every minute of the team's six matches during the 2026 European Championship cycle. Her development at Montpellier has followed a similar trajectory. After initially spending much of the 2025/26 season as a substitute, Yilmaz was given opportunities in the Première Ligue and finished the campaign with five appearances in the French top flight. 

Ajax have already made it clear that Danae van der Vliet is part of their long-term plans. The Dutch goalkeeper joined the club's academy in 2022 and won two national titles with Ajax's U19 Talent Team before signing her first professional contract in February 2025. That deal keeps her in Amsterdam until 2029. 

Still only 19, there is little reason for Ajax to rush her development. But with two academy titles, a professional contract and increasing exposure to the senior environment already behind her, Van der Vliet is steadily moving closer to her opportunity in the Ajax goal.

The Swedish goalkeeper joined Swedish champions Häcken from Vänersborg in 2025 and needed only a year to convince Häcken that she was ready for the senior environment. In February 2026, at just 16, she signed her first senior contract and was permanently promoted to the first-team squad.

Häcken's faith in her is significant. Director of football Martin Ericsson described Karlsson as an “exceptional talent” and one of the biggest goalkeeping prospects the club has ever had, highlighting her height, explosiveness and reach. Her development has also been helped by training alongside experienced goalkeepers such as national team goalkeeper Jennifer Falk or Fanney Birkisdóttir. 

Germany has no shortage of outstanding goalkeepers. On the men's side, the first names that probably come to mind are Manuel Neuer and Marc-André ter Stegen. In the women's game, Ann-Katrin Berger and Merle Frohms stand out, while Mala Grohs and Ena Mahmutovic represent the next generation. Janne Krumme is another name with the potential to join that impressive list.

At the UEFA Women's U19 European Championship, she kept three clean sheets and also produced several outstanding saves in the final. Although it was not enough to secure victory against Spain, Krumme undoubtedly enjoyed an excellent tournament.

She recently joined Eintracht Frankfurt. Although she has so far played mainly for the club's second team, her qualities and experience suggest that it may not be long before she earns opportunities with the first team, either as a starter or as strong competition for the more experienced goalkeepers.

Already a two-time European champion at youth level with Spain and, most importantly, a penalty-shootout heroine at the U20 Women's World Cup, López is widely regarded as one of the country's brightest goalkeeping prospects. Calm in possession, agile between the posts and confident with the ball at her feet, she has also become a key figure for Spain's youth national teams, earning a place in the UEFA Women's U19 EURO Team of the Tournament.

López has already secured her long-term future at Real Madrid after signing a contract until 2030. With the club placing its trust in another academy graduate, she appears well positioned to establish herself as one of the next leading goalkeepers in Spanish women's football.

Luisa Agudelo was only 15 when she became one of the heroes of Colombian football. At the 2022 FIFA U17 Women's World Cup, the goalkeeper produced two saves in the semifinal penalty shootout against Nigeria, including the decisive stop that sent Colombia into the first FIFA World Cup final in the country's history. No surprise she became Player of the match. 

That tournament was only the beginning. Agudelo joined Deportivo Cali at 15 and went on to make 38 league appearances, establishing herself as the club's starting goalkeeper. Her career has now taken her to the NWSL. San Diego Wave signed Agudelo on a three-year contract in January 2026, and the teenager has already started three league matches this season. 

The Lyn goalkeeper made her first Toppserien start during the 2025 season at just 17, completing the full 90 minutes in a 1:1 draw against Hønefoss. She eventually made two league starts during her first campaign at senior level.

The opportunities have continued in 2026. Kroken has started another two Toppserien matches for Lyn this season, conceding only once across 180 minutes and recording her first senior clean sheet. Kroken has also been involved with Norway's youth national teams, giving the 18-year-old valuable experience at both club and international level. Goalkeepers often have to wait considerably longer for senior opportunities; Kroken has already started building hers.

Jackson joined Spurs at U14 level and, only two years later, captained the U16s to the 2025 Professional Game Academy Champions Trophy. Her performances also earned her regular training sessions with Tottenham's senior goalkeepers and a place on the bench for the Women's FA Cup tie against Everton. 

And Tottenham are already bringing her closer to senior football. The 17-year-old has regularly trained with the first team while continuing to play for the U19s, and she is now listed among Tottenham's goalkeepers for the 2026/27 WSL season. With Lize Kop and new signing Selma Panengstuen ahead of her, there is no need to rush her development, but Jackson's progress over the last two years suggests she may not be far away from her next opportunity.

The Mexican teenager produced an extraordinary performance at the 2025 FIFA U17 Women's World Cup, saving two penalties during the quarterfinal against Italy and another in the shootout to send Mexico into the semifinals. She was not finished there. In the bronze-medal match, Murrieta saved another two spot kicks as Mexico defeated Brazil to finish third. 

And she is already developing in one of Mexico's biggest clubs. The 17-year-old is part of Club América's first-team goalkeeping group, wearing number 20 alongside Celeste Espino, Itzel Velasco and Jaidy Gutiérrez. After announcing herself to the world with Mexico, her next challenge is turning that extraordinary youth international success into regular Liga MX Femenil football. 

Emma has adapted well to senior football. She credits the first-team environment for accelerating both her football development and her confidence, while also embracing the challenge of playing alongside international teammates.

Still at the beginning of her career, Emma has already committed her future to Fiorentina by signing a contract until 2028. Alongside her ambitions in football, she also hopes to pursue a career in sports medicine or physiotherapy after her playing days.

Felicia Sträßer did not need long to establish herself in senior football. After progressing through Carl Zeiss Jena's academy, the German defender broke into the first team while still a teenager and went on to become a regular in the Frauen-Bundesliga. In April 2026, she was preparing to face Wolfsburg in the DFB-Pokal semifinal while still only 18.

The next chapter of her career will be in Bremen. Sträßer joined Werder ahead of the 2026/27 season, giving one of Germany's most promising young defenders another opportunity to establish herself at Bundesliga level.

Katharine Scott has been part of a remarkably talented generation of American players for several years. The defender or defensive midfielder was selected for the United States at the 2022 Concacaf Girls' U15 Championship alongside names such as Kennedy Fuller and Kimmi Ascanio, with the USA eventually winning the tournament. 

Ajax has a long history of trusting young players, and Kiki Horváth is another product trying to make the jump into senior football. Born in 2008, the defender has already been registered for Ajax in European competition, including the 2025/26 UEFA Women's Europa Cup.

Still only 18, Horváth has time on her side. With experience around Ajax's senior environment and regular involvement with the Dutch youth national teams, she is one of the defenders worth watching as the Netherlands searches for the next generation of Oranje talent.

Nelly Las, an English player with Slovak roots, has spent most of her football journey at Leicester City. She first joined the club's academy in 2016 before eventually making her senior debut in 2024. The attacking full-back soon gained WSL experience and, after signing her first professional contract in 2025, spent part of last season on loan at Ipswich Town to gain further senior minutes.

Her performances have now earned her the biggest move of her career. Chelsea signed Las from Leicester this summer on a four-year contract until 2030. Able to play on either side as a full-back or wing-back, she will now have the chance to learn alongside one of her childhood idols, Lucy Bronze. For a player who only turned 18 in December, it is quite a remarkable next step.

Barcelona's academy continues to produce players ready to make the step towards senior football, and Noa Jiménez is another name worth remembering. The 18-year-old defender was already part of Barça B in 2025/26 and her progress earned her an invitation to start the 2026/27 preseason with Pere Romeu's first team.

Jiménez has also made rapid progress with Spain. She was involved with the U19 national team during the European Championship cycle and has since stepped up to the U20s. Despite being younger than many of her teammates, she has been selected for Spain's squad for the 2026 FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in Poland.

Rachel Maltby has quietly become one of Aston Villa's most promising young players. After making her WSL debut during the 2024/25 season, the defender took a significant step forward a year later, making 16 league appearances, including 11 starts, and recording her first WSL assist. All of that while still only 18 for most of the campaign.

Villa have already shown how highly they rate her, handing Maltby her first professional contract in March 2025. With almost 1,000 WSL minutes already behind her and regular international experience, she is no longer simply an academy prospect waiting for an opportunity – she is already becoming part of Aston Villa's first team.

A Norwegian defender who has already taken her first major step beyond domestic football. Selma Igesund Saga started out at Store Bergan Fotball before moving to Sandefjord, where she was already playing for the women’s first team at the age of 15. In February 2026, she moved to Italy, signing a contract with FC Como Women until 2028. Despite still being among the youngest players in professional football, she heads into the tournament with her first experience of playing abroad in one of Europe’s strongest leagues already behind her.

Few 18-year-old defenders can match Thindra Mattsson when it comes to senior experience. The Swedish centre-back made her Damallsvenskan debut for IK Uppsala as a teenager and had already played 19 league matches by the time she was 16. Comfortable centrally or out wide, she quickly became one of Sweden's most experienced players in her age group. 

By the time she left Uppsala in July 2026, Mattsson had made 81 competitive appearances and scored ten goals for the club while also representing Sweden's youth national teams 31 times. Her next step came with a move to Damallsvenskan side AIK Stockholm. AIK clearly see her as a long-term project, handing Mattsson a contract until the end of 2029.

Armstrong quickly proved that age was no obstacle in the NWSL. During her rookie season, she became the youngest player in league history to score a stoppage-time winning goal and the youngest to be selected to an NWSL Best XI of the Month. She had already represented the United States at the U17 World Cup, helping her country win bronze in 2024.

Her progress has unfortunately been interrupted by a serious knee injury. Armstrong revealed in July 2026 that she had ruptured her ACL and torn her lateral meniscus, requiring another surgery and a lengthy rehabilitation. At only 19, however, she has already built a résumé that many players would just dream about. 

Chloe spent two and a half seasons with Washington, gaining experience across several positions and becoming part of the first-team environment while still in her teens. In 2025, she started each of the Spirit's opening three matches and helped the club win the NWSL Challenge Cup. Her development was also recognised internationally when she returned to the U.S. youth setup. 

After a brief spell with Houston Dash at the end of 2025, Ricketts joined expansion side Boston Legacy for the 2026 season. She has also progressed to the United States U20 team and was involved in preparations for the 2026 FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in Poland. Still only 19, Ricketts already has something most players her age cannot match: several years of experience inside the NWSL. 

Elle Ulstein dreamed of playing in the Toppserien long before she was old enough to establish herself there. After starting her football journey in Bergen, she moved to Oslo and joined KFUM at 12. She progressed to the senior team before the 2023 season, and her performances soon attracted interest from several top-flight clubs. At 16, she joined Røa and made the jump to Norway's highest division, the Toppserien. 

Ulstein has grown alongside Norway's youth national teams as well. After representing her country at the U17 EURO, she progressed to the U19 side and played six matches in the 2026 European Championship cycle. For someone who once described simply playing in the Toppserien as a childhood goal, she has managed to build an impressive amount of senior experience before leaving her teenage years.

The attacking midfielder has emerged as one of the Lionesses' brightest prospects after receiving her first senior England call-up at just 17 years old. Her rapid development has since been rewarded with a move to the NWSL, where she recently signed a long-term contract with the North Carolina Courage.

Parkinson's journey to the top has been anything but conventional. Born in Singapore to a Japanese mother and an English father, she moved to Portugal as a child and developed her game in the country's academy system before breaking into Valadares Gaia's first team at just 15. 

Her performances have not gone unnoticed. After progressing rapidly through England's youth teams, Sarina Wiegman handed Parkinson a surprise senior call-up. Still only 18, Parkinson is widely regarded as one of England's most promising young players, and with her next chapter now beginning in the NWSL, she appears well placed to become a key figure for both club and country in the years ahead.

Stockholm club Hammarby has built a reputation for developing outstanding young talent. Arsenal defender Smilla Holmberg, Tottenham forward Cathinka Tandberg and Real Madrid defender Bella Andersson are just a few examples of players who took their first steps towards elite football in the club's green and white colours. Sixteen-year-old Fanny Peterson now looks well placed to become the next name on that list.

Her performances at such a young age speak for themselves. Simply breaking into the first team, and even earning a place in the starting XI, is an achievement in itself. Peterson has already become an important part of Hammarby's squad, and her two goals in the semis played a major role in the club's run to the Europa Cup final. She has also carried that form into the league, where head coach William Strömberg has one of Swedish football's brightest young prospects at his disposal.

Despite attracting growing attention, Peterson is not expected to leave Stockholm anytime soon. Given her age, both player and club appear focused on her development, and she recently underlined that commitment by signing a new contract with Hammarby.

Although Kristianstad has not attracted as much international attention as clubs like Hammarby or Häcken, its 17-year-old midfielder Filippa Widén made a name for herself at the UEFA Women's U19 European Championship in July 2026. Although Sweden ultimately fell short of reaching the final, Widén found the back of the net during the tournament and showed exactly why she is already earning significant playing time for Kristianstad's first team despite her young age.

The Brazilian midfielder joined the French champions OL Lyonnes at just 16 years old after attracting international attention with her performances for Brazil's youth national teams. Already compared to the one and only Marta in her home country, Waksman arrives in Europe with the reputation of being one of the brightest talents of her generation.

Her rise has been nothing short of remarkable. After beginning her football journey in Rio de Janeiro, Waksman continued her development in the United States, where she dominated high school football and established herself as one of the country's standout young players. At international level, she has been equally impressive, winning both the Golden Boot and the Player of the Tournament award at the 2024 South American U17 Championship before starring again at the FIFA U17 Women's World Cup.

Despite still being only 17 and injured, Waksman is already regarded as one of Brazilian football's biggest prospects. OL Lyonnes see her as a long-term investment, and with her technical quality, creativity and eye for goal, she appears to have all the attributes needed to follow in the footsteps of the great Brazilian playmakers who came before her.

Still only 18, the midfielder has already established herself as one of Spain's brightest young talents, captaining the national team to a fifth consecutive UEFA Women's U19 EURO title in 2026. She crowned the tournament by scoring the winning goal in the final against Germany.

Dorado's rise has been remarkably consistent. Having progressed through Real Madrid after joining from Atlético Madrid’s academy in 2021, she has become a regular feature for both Real Madrid B and the senior squad while continuing to shine on the international stage. Intelligent in possession, composed under pressure and a natural leader despite her age, she is widely regarded as one of the club's most exciting prospects.

With her contract secured and her development continuing in Madrid, there is little doubt that Real Madrid see Dorado as an important part of the club's future. If her performances for Spain are any indication, it may only be a matter of time before she establishes herself as a key player for the first team as well.

Kennedy Fuller has been playing professional football since she was 16, but she is no longer simply a teenager gaining experience in the NWSL. After joining Angel City in 2024, the attacking midfielder gradually became a regular and emerged as one of the league's most creative young players. In 2025, she ranked inside the NWSL's top ten for chances created.

The next chapter of her career has already begun. Bay FC paid $500,000 in intra-league transfer funds to sign Fuller from Angel City in June 2026, and she has since become an important part of their team. She will now temporarily swap the NWSL for the international stage after being selected for the United States squad at the 2026 FIFA U20 Women's World Cup. 

Ascanio signed her first professional contract at 16 and has already established herself as part of the club's first-team squad. Able to play across the front line, she is considered one of the most promising young attackers in the NWSL.

Ascanio's development has been matched by her progress on the international stage. A United States youth international, she has won two CONCACAF titles and represented her country at the FIFA U17 Women's World Cup. One of the most iconic USA footballers, Tobin Heath, described her as “mini Tobin”. Honestly, what could mean more? 

The midfielder joined the club from AS Roma in 2024 and, after a season with the youth team, earned a permanent place in Fiorentina's first-team squad. She made her Serie A debut in October 2025 and quickly became a regular starter.

Still only a teenager, Cherubini has already shown the composure and leadership of a far more experienced player. With a contract running until 2027, Fiorentina see her as one of the key pieces of the club's future.

Anny Kerim-Lindland left Norway for Germany while still a teenager, initially joining 1. FC Nürnberg after developing with IK Start. After one season in the 2. Frauen-Bundesliga, where she made 17 league appearances, her potential convinced one of Germany's biggest clubs to make a move. Wolfsburg signed the Norwegian forward in 2025 on a contract running until 2028. 

Kerim-Lindland has also progressed consistently through Norway's youth teams, representing the country from U15 to U19 level. Still only 19, she is now training permanently alongside Wolfsburg's senior players and has already featured in the UEFA Women’s Champions League qualification  this season. The pathway Wolfsburg originally expected to take several years is moving considerably faster than planned.

At 16 years and 26 days, the South Korean forward became the youngest player ever to appear at a FIFA Women's World Cup when she featured at the 2023 tournament. Born in South Korea and raised in the United States, Phair suddenly became one of the most recognisable teenagers in women's football. 

Her club career soon followed. Angel City signed Phair through the NWSL's U18 mechanism in January 2024, making her the youngest signing in the club's history. After making her professional debut later that year, she spent the 2025 season on loan with Djurgården in Sweden, gaining her first experience of European football. 

Europe has now become her permanent home. Feyenoord signed the 19-year-old from Angel City in August 2026 on a contract until 2029, with the move designed to give her more regular minutes ahead of the 2027 Women's World Cup. 

Celia Segura has been breaking goalscoring records at Barcelona since childhood. After joining La Masia in 2018, she scored 121 goals in her first season at just 12 years old, becoming the club's record goalscorer at youth level. She later became the youngest player to sign for Barcelona B and made her unofficial first-team debut during the 2024 preseason.

Her official first-team debut followed in February 2025, when she started in the Copa Catalunya semifinal against AEM Lleida. Segura has continued to score regularly for Barcelona B, finishing the 2025/26 season with ten goals while helping the team win Spain's second division.

With several fellow academy players (some of them are included in this list)  already earning significant first-team opportunities, Segura is now trying to turn years of goals at La Masia into a permanent place in Barcelona's senior squad.

The Paraguayan forward developed at Club Olimpia before moving to Club Sportivo Ameliano, where her performances quickly made her one of the most closely watched young players in South American football.

Martínez has been even more productive for Paraguay's youth national teams. She finished as the top scorer at the 2024 South American U17 Championship with ten goals and represented her country at the U17 World Cup later that year. She then stepped up to the U20 level, showing that her goalscoring record was not limited to one age category.

Her progress has already taken her beyond Paraguay, with Martínez moving to the NWSL to continue her development with Washington Spirit. Still in her teens, she is part of a Paraguayan generation trying to close the gap with South America's established powers and push the national team towards its first major senior tournaments.

The RB Leipzig forward announced herself on the international stage at the UEFA Women's U19 EURO 2026, where she finished as the tournament's joint top scorer with three goals despite Switzerland's group-stage exit. Her performances confirmed why the Bundesliga club moved quickly to secure one of the country's brightest attacking prospects.

Pfister's rise has been built on consistent development. After progressing through Swiss football with Grasshopper Zürich, she established herself as one of the club's key attacking players before earning a move to RB Leipzig in the Frauen Bundesliga. A clinical finisher with excellent movement inside the penalty area, she has also become a prolific goalscorer for Switzerland's U19 national team.

Still only 19, Pfister has already taken the next step in her career by joining the Frauen-Bundesliga, where RB Leipzig see her as an investment for the future. With Brazilian roots, a natural eye for goal and growing experience at international level, she appears well placed to become one of the leading faces of Switzerland's next generation.

Calm in possession, vocal on the pitch and unafraid to take responsibility, Galli has emerged as one of the most exciting midfielders of her generation. Her development has been built on consistency rather than overnight success. She progressed through Roma's youth system and Barcelona found her talent. 

Galli's recent progress suggests that the confidence is well placed. Still only 18, she has already shown the maturity and personality required to compete at the highest level, making her one of the most promising young talents to emerge from Italian women's football in recent years. 

Layla Drury needed only a few minutes to write her name into Manchester United's history. The academy forward made her senior debut against Burnley in the FA Cup in January 2026 and marked the occasion with a goal, becoming both the youngest player and youngest goalscorer in the history of United. She went on to make five WSL appearances before the end of the 2025/26 season.

Her breakthrough was rewarded in July, when Drury signed her first professional contract shortly after turning 17. Born in Wrexham, she represented Wales at youth level before switching to England, where her progress has been equally rapid.

Barcenas has also been one of the standout players of her generation for the United States. She started every game at the 2024 FIFA U17 Women's World Cup, scoring three times as the USA won bronze, having already helped the team win the CONCACAF U17 Championship earlier that year. She has since progressed to the U19 national-team setup.

And 2026 looks like the season in which she is beginning to turn potential into consistent NWSL production. Barcenas has scored five league goals and added an assist, with her six goal contributions the most by any teenager in the NWSL this season. San Diego extended her contract through 2026 before the campaign began, and the former record-breaking 15-year-old is increasingly looking like an established first-team player rather than simply a prospect.

Barcelona's academy is full of competition. The 19-year-old forward joined Barça from Levante Las Planas in 2024 and has since become one of the standout players for the club's B team. In the 2025/26 season, she finished as the top scorer in Spain's second division with 16 goals.

Escot can play both on the wing and as an attacking midfielder, combining directness with a strong instinct in front of goal. She has already trained with Barcelona's senior team and made her unofficial first-team debut during the club's 2024 preseason tour in the United States.

Most 17-year-olds are trying to earn their first senior minutes. Talia Younis has already passed 50 appearances. The Western Sydney Wanderers academy graduate made her A-League debut at only 14 and has since developed from a record-breaking teenager into a genuine member of the club's first-team squad.

In February 2026, Younis reached 50 A-League appearances while still only 17, becoming one of the youngest players in the competition's history to reach the milestone. Her development is particularly impressive considering she had spent four seasons progressing through the Wanderers academy before being handed her senior opportunity.