Three years ago, the NWSL was taken to court over its refusal to let players under 18 sign a contract. Today, the NWSL is home to several teenage superstars as young as 16 who are playing or challenging for important starting roles on their teams.
Most of these young players are Americans, and several should be part of the future plans for the U.S. women’s national team. These players’ abilities to compete at a professional level this early in their careers is important for the NWSL and the USWNT as each tries to keep up with a rapidly evolving global game.
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Top teens turning pro is commonplace in Europe, and the domestic leagues and national teams benefit from the players’ development in the long run. Spain won its first Women’s World Cup triumph last year after years of dominance at the youth level, where players were training in professional academies and with senior teams.
There are 17 teens total in the NWSL, two of whom have already played in a senior World Cup and another, Milly…
