Don't worry, “las chicas super -poderosas” came to save the day
Everybody get ready! Qatar's 2022 World Cup is just around the corner. There is just a little issue; Colombia's male main team did not make it to the world cup this year. Yet, there's nothing to be worried about because the under-17 female team did make it to India’s women's soccer under-17 world cup. Not only that but they have also been representing the country in a gorgeous way, they were actually in the semifinal of the world cup at the moment in which this article was written. That is why we will be speaking about the achievements of our team and some of the best players.
India's women's soccer world cup under 17 began on October 11, 2022, and since then “Las chicas súper-poderosas” (as the team is commonly known) have made Colombia proud. They had a difficult start after their 1-0 defeat against the Spanish soccer team on October 12, yet, they recovered from it and won 2-0 against China and 2-1 against Mexico. After playing these games, Colombia’s team made it to the quarter-finals as the first team in its section. The next challenge they had to encounter was the game against Tanzania in the quarter-finals to enter the world cup semifinals. Still, they had nothing to worry
about and defeated them in an exciting game in which Colombia won 3-0, by doing that their next challenge is the game against Nigeria for a place in the final. These achievements are big by themselves, but what makes them even more important is that “Las chicas súper-poderosas” got them even when they did not have the same support as the male main team, which I recall did not even make it to Qatar's 2022 world cup. This support is not seen in the funds designated for the team nor in the public support; actually, many people do not even know our team is in the cup. It’s a shame that we do not appreciate them as much as we should. I hope that after this cup we learn to value the effort and passion they put on the field each time they play.
We have seen the goals accomplished by Colombia’s under-17 female team during the 2022 world cup, but let's get to know a little more about the best players the team has. Let's start with the sensation, Linda Caicedo, born on February 22, 2005, who has been an absolute star during the cup. She plays as a forward, is the team's captain and has scored 4 goals in the cup making her the biggest scorer in the cup. She plays on “El deportivo Cali”, and on the under-17 and under-20 Colombia's soccer team, where she won the title of the best player in “La Copa América 2022”. Everyone is so impressed with her that “FIFA” actually included her on the poster for the quarter-finals. Her career began on an only-boys soccer team, being only 5 years old, she had to play with boys who “did not want to lose with a woman”, as she recalls. Right now, it is said that Barcelona's female soccer team will soon file for Linda.
Another awesome player is Yésica Muñoz, born on April 24, 2006, being also a forward. She also had to play with an only boys club while being little and when she turned 14 Yesica went alone to Medellín to play with “C. D. Formas Íntimas” which later helped her mom and her brothers move to Medellín with her. Yesica promised her mom that with the money earned from the world cup, she will buy her furniture for their house in Medellín. Finally, I want to talk about Luisa Agudelo, Colombia's goalkeeper and the youngest player on the team. Born on March 27, 2007, and being only 15 years old she has triumphed with “la tricolor”. With her 1.73 mt she is known for being fast and agile while making sure the ball does not enter the arc, only receiving 1 goal during the world cup and 2 in “La Copa América” when she was only 14 years old! Clearly, Colombia's female team has a lot of talent and is showing it.
Everybody get ready to continue cheering for Colombia's female under-17 soccer team at the end of the world cup! Not just because they are the only representation of the country we will see this year, but because of the effort, enthusiasm, and “berraquera” that “Las chicas súper-poderosas” have shown during the competition. All of our best wishes to them and let us see what happens in the semifinal and hopefully in the final.
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This article was written before the semifinals.