Pathway Spotlight: USWNT Players at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup

Forward Sydney Leroux competed in both the 2008 and 2010 U-20 FIFA Women’s World Cups, earning the Golden Shoe and Golden Ball in 2008 and the Bronze Ball in 2010 after scoring five goals in eachtournament. She was named U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year in 2011, the same year she made her senior debut. She is among the top 20 USWNT scorers with 35 goals in 77 appearances.

2012: Crystal Dunn

Defender Crystal Dunn played every minute of the 2012 U-20 FIFA Women’s World Cup, helping the team win its third title. It was her third FIFA World Cup at the youth level, after playing for the USA at the inaugural FIFA U-17 WWC in 2008 and the FIFA U-20 WWC in 2010, She was called up the senior team in 2013. She was a part of both the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup and 2024 Olympic-winning squads, earning 160 caps before retiring earlier this year.

“I always think representing your Youth National Team sets you up in such a way,” Dunn told USSoccer.com. “You’re learning so many things at a young age, how to travel on your own, how to deal with pressure. It introduced me to some really incredible teammates. It set me up and created such a strong foundation for me to go on and be a proper professional.”

2014: Lindsey Heaps