U17 Women’s World Cup 2026: Statistical leaders from the group stage

The group stage of the 2026 U17 Women’s World Cup is now complete. Who stood out among the rest? Check the review by Anumita Jain.

Goals

The most important statistic in football is goals! Who’s leading so far?

Maddie DiMaria

The United States have never won a U-17 Women’s World Cup before, but perhaps this year is their year as Maddie DiMaria’s 11 goals are the most not just this year but in tournament history. She has scored in every game so far, ranging from easy tap-ins to goals she toughed out herself like this one in the final group stage match against China PR.

Mercedes Diz

Like the golden boot leader, Argentina’s Mercedes Diz has scored in every group stage match this tournament. Her six goals make up three-quarters of Argentina’s scoring in the tournament so far. Her hat-trick in the final group stage match against Morocco got started with this unsavable shot.

Jong Hyang Yu

The defending champions are favorites heading into the group stage, especially thanks to Jong Hyang Yu’s five goals, including clinical finishes like this one.

Expected goals (xG)

Expected goals, or xG, is a statistic measuring how likely a shot is to turn into a goal. Players who have racked up a lot of expected goals are creating or getting on the end of high-quality chances. Who tops the list here?

Maddie DiMaria

It’s perhaps no surprise that the golden boot leader also tops this list with her 6.1 xG across three games. What’s most impressive is how she’s managed to almost double this xG value into 11 goals. 

Deus Stanislaus

Although Deus Stanislaus has only scored one goal for the USA, she sits second in xG generated with her 3.4 xG. She’s also contributed to her team through assists, like she did against China PR. 

Mercedes Diz

Mercedes Diz’s 3.0 xG has led to six goals for the young Argentinian. It’s no wonder she’s created so much when she’s been able to get on the end of chances like this one.

Goalkeeper saves

Susahna Lilian Peacock

Samoa might have finished the group stage with the worst goal differential in the tournament but it certainly could have been a lot worse. Susahna Lilian Peacock’s 27 saves meant they would’ve conceded twice as many goals had she not been in between the posts, including this penalty kick.

Nathália Borges Cardoso

Brazil’s goalkeeper Nathália Borges has made an impressive 19 saves, keeping her team at just five goals conceded. Some of her saves were more flashy, and some were more understated like this one, but all were equally important.

Nienke Holland

Although New Zealand will not be moving onto the knockout stages, Nienke Holland’s 18 saves should not go unnoticed. She was able to prevent a lot of balls from finding the back of the net, including this one that seemed like it was sure to go in.