Cancer survivor, World Cup scorer: meet Colombia’s teen star Linda Caicedo

A cancer survivor, a Real Madrid star and now a scorer on her debut on the biggest stage in women’s football, the Colombia forward is an inspirational figure already at the age of 18.

“This is something I always say: I am very young, extremely young in fact,” Caicedo said following Colombia’s 2-0 win over South Korea in Sydney on Tuesday. “It is my first World Cup with the senior team and therefore I have to enjoy this tournament. No pressure. I know how young I am, everything that I (still) have to learn, the experience that I have to get.”

Caicedo talks and plays with maturity beyond her years. For a teenager, she’s already been through so much personally and professionally.

As a child prodigy, she made her senior team debut aged just 14. At 15 she dealt with being diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

Now, here she was, lighting up the World Cup with a performance that justified her status as one of the rising stars of the sport. “I just try to enjoy this moment,” she said, cautious not to over-think things or lose sight of the bigger picture. “A football player has to be focused.” South Korea could not contain Caicedo, whose speed and footwork constantly forced her opponents to retreat. That was the case as she burst forward from the halfway line in the first half before doubling Colombia’s lead and effectively putting the result beyond doubt.

Cutting in from the left wing, she beat a number of Korean players before curling in a shot from the edge of the box. While her effort appeared too central to trouble South Korea’s Yoon Young-geul, the goalkeeper got her positioning wrong and instead fumbled the ball into the net.

Caicedo certainly didn’t mind getting the helping hand as she raced toward Colombia’s fans in celebration. In a moment for the history books for talented teens, 16-year-old Casey Phair became the youngest-ever player at a senior football World Cup when she went on as a secondhalf substitute for South Korea. By then, it was too late.

Philippines shock New Zealand
With their first goal at their first FIFA Women’s World Cup, the unfavored Philippines achieved their first win on Tuesday, shocking host New Zealand 1-0 in a Group A match, made contentious when a potential equalizer was disallowed. New Zealand achieved their first World Cup win when they upset favoured Norway in the opening match of the tournament five days ago.