Football Ferns at the 2023 FIFA World Cup: Squad Profiles
The squad is set, training camp is over, the practice games are finished, and all the rival nations have amassed in Aotearoa and Australia for the biggest standalone female sporting event on the planet. We’re less than a week out from the opening game. The hype is real.
And this, right here, is just a simple peek through the 23 players who’ll be representing New Zealand. Initially this was gonna be a segment at the end of the squad announcement yarn but it turns out by the time you’ve written mini-bios on 23 different players you’ve risked doubling the length of the entire article. So here instead are those quick profiles. A paragraph for each of them, detailing their roles in the squad and where they’re at in their careers. Nice and simple. Good for an introduction or a reminder or simply another snack to help calm the ever-demanding appetite for World Cup content at this massively exciting moment.
Here’s the full squad lists for all teams, if you’re interested.
1. Erin Nayler – IFK Norrköping, SWE
(84 caps / 0 goals)
Long time number one keeper but these days has dropped down to third choice. Overcame a hip injury to make this squad which has kept her out for several months (meaning she still hasn’t debuted for Norrköping whom she joined at the start of the year). To be honest, Nayler has suffered from a lack of regular game time for her various clubs over the last few years, ever since she left Bordeaux in France which was where she hit her peak. Will still offer very valuable experience to the squad – and it’s notable that she’s gotten the number one jersey in reward of seniority.
2. Ria Percival – Tottenham Hotspur, ENG
(162 caps / 15 goals)
The all-time most capped Ferns player. Percival tore both her ACL and meniscus against Australia in April 2022 but recovered in time to feature off the bench in Spurs’ last four WSL games. Prior to that injury she was NZ’s best player. A brilliant hard-edged midfielder who leads the press and wins challenges, setting the tone with her work-rate. Tottenham missed her presence just as much as the Ferns did (giving her a contract extension before she’d even recovered)... and the Ferns showed how much they value her when Percival was named as co-captain for this tournament alongside existing skipper Ali Riley.
3. Claudia Bunge – Melbourne Victory, AUS
(21 caps / 0 goals)
A very assured central defender who won championships in each of her first two A-League seasons with Melbourne Victory. Couldn’t make it three in a row more recently, now she’s probably at the stage of her career where a move to Europe or America is the next step (there were rumoured links with a couple of English top division clubs a year ago). It looks like Bunge will mostly play off the bench at the World Cup with Stott and Bowen preferred ahead of her at CB in recent matches, including the recent friendly win against Vietnam. Long-term Bunge is the closest thing to an Abby Erceg replacement that this team has.
4. CJ Bott – Leicester City, ENG
(38 caps / 3 goals)
Has only played a handful of internationals over the past year as sneaky injuries have limited her availability but Bott had already long-since established herself as the top choice right back and is coming off a fantastic season with Leicester City in the top English division. Bott was far from the only factor there but her combative and tireless mahi for the Foxes had a lot to do with how they managed to avoid relegation despite losing their first nine games. Will be curious to see if JK uses her further forward at any stage. It’s definitely something they’ve tried before – with Bott scoring the winner against Mexico last year. No matter where she plays, expect huge energy and crunching tackles.
5. Michaela Foster – Wellington Phoenix
(5 caps / 0 goals)
A year ago she wasn’t on this radar at all, playing locally for Northern Rovers. But following a couple years as one of the premier domestic players in the country she got a crack with the Wellington Phoenix as a scholarship player and went on to win player of the year. An underrated talent no longer. Foster hits a superb set piece with either foot. Technically very tidy and is strong in the challenge. She debuted against Argentina in February and has featured in every game since – including setting up the goal in the draw vs Iceland. Not yet a regular starter at this higher level although her set piece magic might cause Klimková to take a gamble.
6. Malia Steinmetz – Western Sydney Wanderers
(19 caps / 0 goals)
Her first couple years in the A-League were decent but it didn’t really feel like her teams were utilising her properly. That still wasn’t entirely the case for Western Sydney last season as she did spent a couple games in central defence but that was definitely the campaign in which Malia Steinmetz proved she belongs at that level (and above). She’s also been doing the same thing internationally, getting a run of games in Percival’s absence and tearing things up as a defensive midfielder with an uncanny ability to steal possession away. The switch to a 4-3-3 formation that we saw against Vietnam will keep Steinmetz in the starting eleven with room for both her and Percival plus a more creative ball-player to complement them.
7. Ali Riley – Angel City FC, USA
(153 caps / 2 goals)
Co-captain of the squad, also captain of Angel City in the NWSL. Ali Riley recently joined Ria Percival in the 150+ cap squad and the two most experienced NZ internationals ever will share the armband during this home World Cup. Riley’s infectiously positive personality has long set a tone for the Ferns while her left-back precision has held her as one of the few world class players we’ve had over the past decade. She’s 35 now so this is surely her last World Cup and she isn’t quite the ball of energy she once was. But still a no-doubter starter whose leadership on and off the pitch will be huge. Born in California (with a kiwi dad) although most of her pro footy came with Rosengård in Sweden where she played 35 times in the Champions League (the next best appearance tally by an NZer in the UCLW is Ria Percival with six). Also boasts stints at Chelsea and Bayern Munich on her resume. If she hadn’t committed to her fatherland then there’s a good chance she’d have cracked the USA team at some stage.
8. Daisy Cleverley – HB Køge, DEN
(31 caps / 2 goals)
A regular selection for several years although never a first-choice starter in the midfield. After a long college career in the States she went professional in 2022 joining Danish champions HBK where she was a useful backup midfielder as they retained their title yet again – and thus earned another crack at Champions League qualifiers next season – if they make it to the competition proper and Cleverley manages to play then she’ll be the eighth kiwi woman to do so. Good passer and disciplined defensively. Absolutely one of the 23 most talented players available however her spot in the squad probably has a lot to do with providing cover for the two midfielders coming off serious knee injuries.
9. Gabi Rennie – Arizona State University, USA
(25 caps / 2 goals)
The one player in the squad yet to play professionally. Her numbers at college level aren’t amazing but the Canterbury forward was a highly exciting prospect coming up in NZ (in the National League and for youth international teams), and was a bolter pick for the last Olympics where she scored on debut against Australia. Has only scored one additional goal since then but has impressed with her selfless workrate. Will be more of an attacking depth option in this squad. One of two reps here from the 2018 U17s who finished third at their World Cup, Anna Leat being the other.
10. Annalie Longo – Unattached
(128 caps / 15 goals)
It was September 2022 when Annalie Longo busted her ACL in a game against Mexico, just as she was seemingly nailing down a starting spot in the midfield. Nine months later the recovery is complete and she’s done enough to make this squad, marking her return to competitive football with a lively cameo off the bench against Vietnam ten days out from the start of the World Cup. Good timing. Longo has played three seasons in the A-League, winning two titles, though for much of her career she’s been known as the finest domestic player in Aotearoa, regularly dominating for Canterbury United. Granted, she was expected to sign for the Wellington Phoenix last year until the ACL injury scuppered that idea. Nicknamed Flea. Legend has it that she came up with the Football Ferns moniker. Diminutive in size but with a silky touch and a great sense of tempo.
11. Olivia Chance – Celtic FC, SCO
(43 caps / 2 goals)
The most reliable creative force in the team going all the way back to the last World Cup. Her goal-scoring record isn’t good but the incisive passes, the vision, and the ability to combine those two things has elevated Liv Chance into key player territory for the Fernies. Usually on the left side as there wasn’t a spot in the preferred 4-4-2 formation for a central attacking midfielder. That may be different now that they’re leaning towards a 4-3-3 shape although Chance will still be a weapon regardless of position. Had to overcome a knee injury to get here which means she hasn’t played since April, other than the last quarter of the Vietnam friendly, although that beats her previous World Cup experience when she’d only just returned from an ACL tear.
12. Betsy Hassett – Wellington Phoenix, NZ/AUS
(144 caps / 14 goals)
Another one of the veterans in this squad. Hassett spent the first half of her career bouncing around big clubs in Europe including stints at Manchester City, Werder Bremen & Ajax. Then she found a more stable home playing in Iceland for several years before returning to feature for the Wellington Phoenix this past term. Where, by the way, her deployment as a number ten in their formation helped further unlock that team’s attacking potential by giving them a smooth, technical operator who shows her comfort on the ball by making smart moves and accurate passes. For the Ferns, she’s tended to alternate between attacking midfield and central midfield and could see time at both at this World Cup. Started in the midfield trio against Vietnam and will probably split time with Longo and perhaps also Chance in that role.
13. Rebekah Stott – Brighton & Hove Albion, ENG
(90 caps / 4 goals)
18 months ago, Stott’s entire career was put on hold when she was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Since then she’s done the chemo thing, helped inspire many others in their own cancer journeys (both emotionally and also practically), and triumphantly returned to the footy pitch. First in the Aussie state leagues, then with Melbourne City in the ALW, before re-signing with Brighton in the English top flight where she’d been playing when she first noticed her symptoms. There was also an emotional Football Ferns return in there too. As you’d expect, it seems to have taken a while to regather her fitness and a preseason ankle injury for Brighton didn’t help (nor did Brighton shuffling through three permanent managers and a couple interim stints last season). But towards the end of the English term she began to find that peak Stotty form again and given the high level that she plays, as well as her passing/dribbling ability from the back, she’s back to being the first choice central defender for coach Jitka Klimková heading into the World Cup. Just an incredible story of resilience.
14. Katie Bowen – Melbourne City, AUS
(93 caps / 3 goals)
The only NZer ever selected in the NWSL College Draft, Bowen spent several years across several teams playing in that American top flight but a year in North Carolina in which she was barely used at all (being a backup CB behind Abby Erceg will do that to ya, although that’s no excuse for them not giving her a nudge as a midfielder), Bowen prioritised game time leading into the World Cup by signing with Melbourne City. There she was mostly used as a CB in a back three and in recent times she’s also seen more time in defence for the national team. However City later switched to a back four which unleashed Bowen in the midfield for some impressive efforts. It looks like central defence is the spot leading into her fourth World Cup though - with KB’s experience and midfielder’s skill set mostly (but not entirely) balancing out her lesser natural instincts in that role to earn the second starting spot.
15. Paige Satchell – Wellington Phoenix, NZ/AUS
(42 caps / 2 goals)
Lightning quick and deceptively strong, Paige Satchell’s athleticism has long been a feature of Football Ferns squads. With Satch, it’s all about that final product because her crossing and shooting has yet to reach that same level – constantly getting into great positions then failing to make the most of them. Satchell did have a season in Germany with SC Sand however it’s in the A-League (playing for three different teams in three years) where she’s begun to string that aspect of her game together. For a while there she was elevated into a bigger Ferns role than she was ready for due to the lack of attacking options. These days the emergence of more consistent options means she’s dropped back to the bench but that might be a blessing in disguise as fewer minutes will be balanced by a more defined role in which she’s free to be the player that she is – bringing chaos to tired defences through raw unfiltered speed.
16. Jacqui Hand - Åland United, FIN
(13 caps / 2 goals)
Following her graduation from university in the USA, Hand got a gig on Åland – an autonomous province of islands off the Swedish coast whose football team plays in the Finland competition. Initially it was only a short term contract for Hand who had her sights set on an opportunity in England. That didn’t come about but the AU thing went gangbusters so she soon signed on for a longer stay. Hand was beginning to break into the Ferns structure when she was injured late last year but since returning (just in time for her 2023 club season) she’s been one of the better players in the entire Finnish competition and may well have earned a starting gig for this World Cup, either as a winger or a second striker depending on the formation. Hand scored in the win over Vietnam. Slight of build but with a reliable touch and an eye for both goals and assists that has given her an edge over other kiwi attackers. With her club season running all the way up to the announcement of this squad she’s fully match fit and potentially the most in-form player in this group.
17. Hannah Wilkinson – Melbourne City, AUS
(114 caps / 28 goals)
As the main striker for a team that doesn’t score goals, Wilkinson has had to carry a fair bit of that weight. But make no mistake: Wilkie remains the best centre-forward in the country. The goals to game ratio isn’t amazing however it’s far better than anyone else, including goals against non-Oceania opposition. Wilkinson has had spells in her club career scoring hectic quantities of goals, especially when playing for good teams – case and point being her first season with Melbourne City. Tall and strong with a high workrate, not to mention heaps of experience which is unique within this squad’s attacking corps (last World Cup they brought a couple strikers out of retirement, this time they’ve leant on the youth). Also the fourth highest scorer in Football Ferns history - Amber Hearn is first with 54 goals.
18. Grace Jale – Canberra United, AUS
(17 caps / 2 goals)
Jale made her Ferns debut a few years back in the 2018 Oceania Nations Cup though injuries stalled her career up until she was selected as part of the inaugural Wellington Phoenix A-League Women’s squad in 2021. GJ top scored for the Nix, really instigating their late season form as the team earned its first couple of wins. She then left to sign with Canberra United where, playing mostly on the wing, she was one of the leading assist makers in the competition. That’s surged her back into the national team ranks and had made seven starts in eight games on that right wing although the switch to 4-3-3 seems like it’ll drop her to the bench. Strong and also fast, doesn’t shirk the defensive duties, and capable of those ever-important goal contributions. Jale will have a role to play, don’t doubt it.
19. Elizabeth Anton – Perth Glory, AUS
(19 caps / 0 goals)
For a while there Anton seemed to have nudged her way into backup left-back duties for the Ferns. This despite being a fixture at centre back for the Perth Glory over the past three seasons. But then along came Michaela Foster and suddenly Anton was at risk of missing out on the squad entirely. She wasn’t in the previous touring squad until getting summoned as a late injury replacement. Yet here we are, Anton edging the last defensive spot ahead of several other A-League candidates (and also Meikayla Moore). Most likely to see game time as a reserve CB, although curiously all eight of her starts under JK have been as a fullback. It helps to be versatile.
20. Indiah-Paige Riley – Brisbane Roar, AUS
(8 caps / 0 goals)
One of a few players to switch allegiances to Aotearoa with this World Cup as a target. IPR’s kiwi links were always strong, even if she did sneakily feature for the Matildas in a friendly game in 2021. Getting her over to the kiwi side was seen as a great coup although her initial outings in the black jersey didn’t quite match that buzz, partly because they came at a tricky time in her club career. Having debuted for the Brisbane Roar as a 16yo, Riley moved to Fortuna Hjørring in Denmark where spent a few seasons including playing against Barcelona in the Champions League. But they started playing her out of position (or not at all) this past campaign so she returned to the Brisbane Roar where she scored in her first game back but then didn’t score or assist again for the rest of the season. As such she was far from an automatic selection in this squad... but she made it and then produced a brilliant performance against Vietnam, by far her best for Aotearoa. A crucial aspect of that was being able to play right wing in a 4-3-3, the ideal position for what she does. Indi Riley is a pure winger with pace and directness and still at only 21 years of age has plenty more to offer the national team. Debatable whether she’ll be in the starting team with Liv Chance having to fit somewhere and Jacqui Hand having also been really promising in recent games... but it’s now a debate, which wasn’t the case a few weeks ago.
21. Victoria Esson – Rangers FC, SCO
(14 caps / 0 goals)
A long-time back-up keeper who’d be in and out of squads, Esson finally began to get regular games under Klimková and has, quite frankly, been the Ferns’ best performing player over that time. The numbers back that up too. In 12 starts since JK took over, Esson has been in goal for 3 wins and 4 draws with 5 clean sheets and only 12 goals conceded. In the 12 games that Esson hasn’t played, that record reads 1 win and 11 defeats with 0 clean sheets and 35 goals conceded. Granted there were some tough fixtures in the latter portion and also that Esson’s absences often aligned with other key players being missing. But the numbers are still astonishing for a team whose reputation is one of not being able to get such results. Esson played Champions League qualifiers for Rangers last season, having been in Norway for a few years prior. She’s now one of the leaders in the squad and one of those who saves her best for the big games... always useful at a World Cup.
22. Emily Clegg – Western Sydney Wanderers, AUS
(3 caps / 0 goals)
The youngest player in the squad by more than three years, Clegg doesn’t even turn 18 years old until November. It’s been a rapid rise for the striker but if you’ve seen her play then you understand why. Clegg is a unicorn. A proper number nine with fantastic finishing ability and a genuine instinct for the position. She’s coming off a season in which she top scored for the Wellington Phoenix as a high schooler (albeit only with a modest four goals given that team’s struggles in the penalty area) as well as not only playing at both the U17 and U20 World Cups in 2022 but even scoring at both of them. Don’t forget she set up the winner in the Kate Sheppard Cup final too. Just this past week she signed her first actual professional deal to join Western Sydney Wanderers however you get the impression that much more distant shores await for the best centre-forward prospect we’ve had for a generation. But as far as this World Cup goes, it’s very early days. Expect Clegg to maybe get some substitute minutes as a roll of the dice late in games – though if she does then don’t rule out the possibility of her completing the U17/U20/Senior World Cup goal-scoring set... all within the space of twelve months.
23. Anna Leat – Aston Villa, ENG
(9 caps / 0 goals)
The goal-keeping hero of the 2018 U17s squad and one of the best prospects that kiwi footy has produced in a long time. Several years younger than Esson and Nayler so shapes as a long-term starter down the line, though she’ll have to make do with backup duties at this particular World Cup. Leat has spent two years in England with West Ham and then Aston Villa. Most of that was also as a backup keeper however injuries and various cup competitions have given her plenty of chances and she’s looked pretty much flawless whenever called upon. With England squadie Hannah Hampton leaving Aston Villa for Chelsea, there was some hope that Leat could become a first choice goalie in one of the best leagues on the planet. That’s not gonna happen because they’ve replaced Hampton with Netherlands number one Daphne van Domselaar. Nevertheless, time is on Leat’s side. She’s a wonderful shot-stopper (case and point) but don’t sleep on the fine passing distribution either.
If you appreciate the yarns on TNC, get amongst our Patreon to support the mahi
Also helps to whack an ad, sign up to our Substack, make a donation, and tell your mates about us
Keep cool but care