play1:40Olivia Moultrie: Emma Hayes has created the perfect environment for USWNT greatnessUSWNT’s Olivia Moultrie believes head coach Emma Hayes has built the perfect environment for the national team to succeed in the future.
play2:08How has Alyssa Thompson adapted to the WSL with Chelsea?Lianne Sanderson praises USWNT’s Alyssa Thompson for her start at Chelsea after being named ESPN’s number three ranked best U21 player.
play1:27Sanderson: López to challenge Bonmatí, Putellas for Ballon d’OrLianne Sanderson believes the “sky is the limit” for Vicky López after being named ESPN’s best U21 player at just 19-years-old.
The best strikes from ESPN’s top ranked U21 women’s players (1:38)Alyssa Thompson, Jaedyn Shaw and more show why they deserve their spots among ESPN’s top ranked U21 stars. (1:38)
Olivia Moultrie: Emma Hayes has created the perfect environment for USWNT greatnessUSWNT’s Olivia Moultrie believes head coach Emma Hayes has built the perfect environment for the national team to succeed in the future.
USWNT’s Olivia Moultrie believes head coach Emma Hayes has built the perfect environment for the national team to succeed in the future.
How has Alyssa Thompson adapted to the WSL with Chelsea?Lianne Sanderson praises USWNT’s Alyssa Thompson for her start at Chelsea after being named ESPN’s number three ranked best U21 player.
Lianne Sanderson praises USWNT’s Alyssa Thompson for her start at Chelsea after being named ESPN’s number three ranked best U21 player.
Sanderson: López to challenge Bonmatí, Putellas for Ballon d’OrLianne Sanderson believes the “sky is the limit” for Vicky López after being named ESPN’s best U21 player at just 19-years-old.
Lianne Sanderson believes the “sky is the limit” for Vicky López after being named ESPN’s best U21 player at just 19-years-old.
Yash ThakurMultiple AuthorsApr 2, 2026, 06:49 AM ET
Last year we looked at 21 of the best women’s players in the world age 21 or under, and Vicky López came out on top. But this time a host of players from that list don’t meet the age requirement anymore, such as Melchie Dumornay, Tarciane, Ally Sentnor and Salma Paralluelo.
But which players have done enough to land a place on ESPN’s list for 2026, and what makes them special?
With multiple teams and leagues around the world, you have to cast a wide net to find the best, so Yash Thakur examined and ranked the game’s youngest players with input from ESPN’s reporters in the Netherlands, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Africa, Asia and Australia.
While talent and potential played a big role in their rankings they weren’t the only factors considered. From an initial long list of 50 players, those who remain are the ones who best satisfied the main criteria: appearances at the highest level, consistent performance over a sustained period, and the potential to develop into a top-level footballer.
A sounding board composed of players, managers, journalists and fans was used before deciding on the final rankings. Personal preference also played a role.
Since the list was restricted to the top 21 players, some big stars naturally missed out. While their talent and potential is undeniable, injuries, lack of minutes, and inconsistencies in performances stopped them from making the final cut.
– Players included must be aged 21 or under on April 1, 2026. – Positions are: GK (goalkeeper), LB/LWB (left back / left wing back), RB/RWB (right back / right wing back), CB (center back), DM (defensive midfield), CM (central midfield), AM (attacking midfield), FW (forward), ST (striker). – Stats correct as of March 31.
Martinez featured for the under-17, U20 and the senior Paraguay side in a single year in 2025, and helped the senior team finish fifth at the Copa America Femenina; there, she was involved in seven of their nine goals and finished as the competition’s joint-top scorer.
An electric and powerful forward who can drive at defenses and beat them for pace, Martinez looks special. She possesses incredible ball-striking abilities and has an innate understanding of where to make her runs, which makes her a formidable threat at such a young age.
In January, she signed for NWSL side Washington Spirit from Club Olimpia for a fee of $950,000, which ranks among the top 10 transfers in the league to date. And as she continues to polish her skillset in the United States, she will remain Paraguay’s beacon of hope for years to come.
One key stat: Martinez had the joint-most goals (six) and joint most goal contributions (seven) at the Copa America Femenina 2025.
Camara joined Barcelona’s academy at the age of 15 and made her debut for the senior side in February 2025. This season, she has regularly stepped up into the starting XI and her versatility has allowed her to fill in at right back or center back without a tangible drop in quality.
A two-time U19 European Championship winner with Spain, she reads play well and is robust in her one-on-one duels, skilled at denying her opponents time and space on the ball. The timing of her challenges, decision making, and runs at such a young age make her seem far more experienced than she is, and she can impact things at both ends of the pitch.
In a veteran Barcelona defense, Camara fills an important role and she will surely become indispensable for both club and country.
One key stat: Camara has six assists to her name in Liga F this season, the second most by a defender behind teammate Mapi León (seven).
Jackson first showcased her talent on the global stage at the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in 2022, captaining the U.S. to the quarterfinals, and while she missed her penalty in that game, her character and class made an impact. Since then, she has grown into a fine defensive midfielder and started 23 of North Carolina Courage’s 26 games in the NWSL last season.
She exudes confidence on the ball, orchestrating play from the defensive third, and has impeccable range in her passing. Her accuracy and incisiveness, coupled with her defensive reading of the game, make her a key figure in both buildup and progression phases. Jackson’s excellent defensive positioning also helps her recover possession and disrupt opposition attacks.
Jackson might not be the flashiest player on the pitch, but she is the catalyst making everything tick.
One key stat: In 2025, Jackson attempted the third-most passes (1,194) and passes ending in the final third (619) in the NWSL — the third highest in both categories by any midfielder.
The younger sister of Chelsea winger Alyssa Thompson, Gisele caught the eye in the U.S.’s third-place finish at the U20 FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2024, while she made her debut for Angel City in the same year and went on to represent the senior USWNT side soon after.
She is lightning fast and can cover the space between the two boxes quickly; despite being a full back, she is an ultra-attacking player at her core who loves to run at defenders, twisting and turning her way into the opposition box. Her ability to produce an incisive final ball makes her a potential match-winner, and her decision making and defensive ability will only improve with more minutes under her belt.
One key stat: Only Delphine Cascarino, Izzy Rodriguez and Rosemonde Kouassi (six each) had more assists in the NWSL than Thompson last season (five).
Koga has transitioned well from youth to senior football to quickly become indispensable for club and country at a young age. She featured in all games for Japan in their 2025 SheBelieves Cup win, scoring a goal against the U.S. in the final, and recently joined Tottenham after an impressive year at Feyenoord.
At 5-foot-8, the defender is physically intimidating and robust in duels. Her excellent starting position, body shape and tenacity make her an excellent defender in the box, clearing and blocking everything that the opposition throw at her. She also reads the game brilliantly, tracks her markers, and has excellent timing in her challenges, allowing her to make vital recoveries.
On the ball, she brings composure and calm in the circulation phase, while she has the quality, range and execution to play passes through the opposition lines. With more minutes under her belt, Koga will surely cement herself as one of the best center backs around.
One key stat: Only Tottenham’s Clare Hunt (23) has blocked more shots than Koga (22) in the WSL this season.
Dragoni’s shock selection, at the age of 16, to represent Italy at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup showed how highly her technical quality and creativity were regarded. A transfer from Inter Milan to Barcelona that same year seemed a perfect fit as she has great vision, skillful footwork, incisive passing and can create dangerous opportunities for her teammates. But she has spent most of her time since 2024 on loan back in Italy with AS Roma.
An excellent ball carrier through midfield, Dragoni’s agility and sharp movements allow her to glide past incoming challenges and she loves to play quick exchanges in the final third, accelerating play and unlocking defenses. A real creative force, only time will tell if she is able to break into Barcelona’s long-term plans.
One key stat: Only Manuela Giugliano (13) and Evelyne Viens (eight) have more goal contributions for AS Roma in the Serie A Femminile than Dragoni (seven).
Smith was briefly the most expensive transfer in women’s football history last summer when she made a £1 million move to Arsenal from Liverpool. She has also been voted Canada’s best young player twice and won the PFA Women’s Young Player of the Year in 2025.
The Canada international is an extraordinary ball carrier. She dribbles with speed and quick footwork, making it difficult for the opposition to dispossess her, while her desire to take on defenders helps her win a lot of fouls in dangerous areas. Indeed, her carries up the field are often followed by her taking the opportunity to let fly with her powerful shot, and she has proven she can score from almost any situation.
This season, Arsenal boss Renée Slegers has used Smith in a variety of positions rather than just out wide, and she has played in a number of different roles, adding to her already impressive skillset.