She wears the No 10 shirt made famous by Brazilian great Pele but at just 14 Beatriz Zaneratto Joao has plenty of catching up to do. No better place to catch the eye than on the Fifa stage.
Simply "Beatriz" to her teammates, the youngest player in Brazil’s squad for the Under-17 Women’s World Cup is set to upstage not only the older Canarinhas players but the stars from their 15 rivals as well.
She does not blow out 15 candles until just before Christmas, by which time she and the Marcos Gasper-coached team will be home and, they hope, world champions.
When Beatriz turned up at the Sudamericano – the South American (Conmebol) qualifying tournament in Chile – she was, like every player in the fledgling age group, unknown.
By the time Brazil left as silver medallists Beatriz was the name on everybody’s lips.
From the outset she impressed with her uncanny dribbling ability and precision finishing.
The striker from Sao Paulo club Ferroviaria/Araraquara scored five goals to finish third equal in the golden boot behind Paraguay’s Karen Ruiz Diaz (seven) and Colombian Tatiana Ariza (six).
Her striking partners Franciele Bonfanti (also five goals) and Raquel Fernandes Dos Santos (four) scored 14 of Brazil’s 20 goals.
Like every other soccer-playing country, the women’s game in Brazil is some way off the pace in playing numbers and support of the men but with almost 1.15 million registered women players, they have the base from which to seriously challenge top-ranked nations the United States and Germany.
Brazil, with 2000 women players listed as under-18, has the resources to make a real impact in the women’s game – perhaps as early as this tournament or maybe in December’s Under-20 World Cup in Chile.
With her magical feet and obvious goal-scoring talent, Beatriz, then barely 14, was considered the best player at January’s South American
Under-17 Championships which doubled as the qualifying event.
Brazil’s success was no fluke. Coach Gasper scoured the vast country in his search for the best players, his endeavours rewarded in finding players like Beatriz.
They finished the tournament in second place behind Colombia on goal difference. Paraguay won South America’s third World Cup spot.
Brazil, in group D, play their opening matches, against England and South Korea, in Wellington and their third, against Nigeria, in Christchurch. Their quarter-final, should they win through, would be in Hamilton on November 9.
Brazil’s only appearance at North Harbour Stadium would be if they won through to the November 16 medal matches.
ONES TO WATCH
Kristen and Samantha Mewis
The United States are a strong side, featuring the sibling double act of Kristen and Samantha Mewis. The pair have already struck fear into plenty of opponents.
They scored six goals in four qualifying games in the North-Central America (Concacaf) tournament and are being compared with many of the past greats. They form a formidable strikeforce with ace goal-grabber Courtney Verloo.
Laetitia Philippe
The French goalkeeper was outstanding in the Uefa Championship. While their strikers struggled at times to score, Les Bleuettes were kept in many games by Philippe as the French enjoyed a run of six matches in the group phases without conceding a goal.
From the Montpellier HSC club, Philippe, who first played internationally as a 14-year-old, has taken real pride in her growing number of clean sheets and has become a key player in France’s bid for glory in New Zealand. France, in group C, will play what could be the group decider against the United States at North Harbour Stadium on Guy Fawkes Day.
Yun Hyon-Hi
The 16-year-old star of the Korea DPR team has already made her mark. At last year’s under-16 Asian Championship she led the North Koreans to victory scoring seven goals which won her the golden boot and had her acclaimed as the player of the tournament.
She plays her club football for April 45 Sports Group where she has made her mark as an exciting striker. As Asian champions, the North Koreans are expected to make a bold showing at the tournament.
Story provided by Terry Maddaford, New Zealand Herald, 24/10/08