MIAMI, Florida – This Friday at 7:00 PM ET, Concacaf will be airing a re-broadcast of the 2018 Concacaf Women’s Under-20 Championship semifinal between Mexico and Canada, followed by the 2018 CU20W Final between Mexico and the United States. Both matches will be shown on Concacaf’s Facebook and YouTube pages, plus the Concacaf App.
The CU20W is a showcase like none other, as many women footballers from around the region take the last steps within the youth national team setup before joining their respective senior teams.
The CU20W has seen some of the very best in the history of the region, including in the 2004 editions when Costa Rica’s dynamic duo of MF Shirley Cruz and FW Karla Villalobos would each score in the tournament. Eleven years later, those two players would be the driving forces behind Costa Rica’s first ever qualification for a FIFA Women’s World Cup at Canada 2015.
Fifteen years before leading the United States to a fourth Women’s World Cup title and being named The Best FIFA Women’s Player, Megan Rapinoe formed part of the U.S. squad that finished as runner-up, scoring a goal during the group stage.
Two years later at the 2006 CU20W, Mexico FW Charlyn Corral burst on the scene at the age of 14 by scoring eight goals during the tournament to take home Golden Boot honors and would go on to play for Mexico at the 2006, 2008 and 2010 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cups.
The 2008 CU20W witnessed the emergence of two future World Cup champions, with FW Alex Morgan and MF Kelley O’Hara of the U.S. appearing in the tournament and O’Hara finishing as the co-leader in goals scored with six.
The memory of the 2010 CU20W will be the outstanding performance served up by U.S. FW Sydney Leroux, who took home Golden Boot honors (6 goals), plus the Golden Ball in helping the U.S. win the trophy, including the winning goal in the 87’ in a 1-0 victory over Mexico.
One of the most prolific goalscorers in the history of the Guatemalan Women’s National Team is Maria Monterroso, who delivered a top performance at the 2012 CU20W by scoring two goals, including the opening score in Guatemala’s 5-2 win over Cuba.
Before she scored in the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup Final, U.S. MF Rose Lavelle was displaying her promise during the 2014 CU20W by taking home Golden Ball honors in helping the U.S. to the title.
Two names that would begin to become very familiar to Concacaf football fans in the coming years showed their wares at the 2015 CU20W in which Haiti FW Nerilia Mondesir at age 16 scored two goals in the tournament, while Jamaica FW Khadija Shaw bagged a trio of goals.
With five goals to her name in the 2018 CU20W in which she won the Golden Boot, Canada FW Jordyn Huitema offered the first hints that she could become the next great goalscorer for her country.
Two years later at the 2020 CU20W, 16-year-old Melchie Dumornay of Haiti set all kinds of records on her way to winning the Golden Boot with a jaw-dropping 14 goals.
Needless to say, the CU20W, has long provided a platform for the future stars of women’s football in the Concacaf region.
