GOAL selected the 20 best talents in women’s football born on or after January 1, 2003 – but where are they now?
Every year, GOAL releases its NXGN lists, highlighting the best young talents in world football. After starting with the men’s game in 2016, the first women’s list was published in 2020, with many of its alumni having already gone on to achieve incredible things.
And so after the NXGN 2025 list was revealed, here’s a look at where the wonderkids of 2022 are today:
Every NXGN list
Dembele, Tielemans & 2016's best wonderkids
Mbappe, Donnarumma & 2017's best wonderkids
De Ligt, Kluivert & 2018's best wonderkids
Haaland, Sancho & 2019's best wonderkids
Saka, Rodrygo & 2020's best wonderkids
James, Oberdorf & 2020's best women's wonderkids
Pedri, Ansu Fati & 2021's best wonderkids
Le Tissier, Bennison & 2021's best women's wonderkids
Bellingham, Musiala & 2022's best wonderkids
Gavi, Garnacho & 2023's best wonderkids
Shaw, Thompson & 2023's best women's wonderkids
Yamal, Mainoo & 2024's best wonderkids
Caicedo, Moultrie & 2024's best women's wonderkids
20Paulina Gramaglia (Houston Dash)
2022:Gramaglia joined the Houston Dash on loan from her club in Argentina, UAI Urquiza, and made her debut in the U.S. in July. In doing so, she became the club’s youngest-ever player. That would be her only appearance of the season, but Houston still chose to make her loan deal a permanent one at the end of the year.
2023: In order to give the youngster regular game time, the Dash loaned Gramaglia to Brazilian club Red Bull Bragantino for the 2023 season and she did enough to earn a place in Argentina's World Cup squad.
2024: Gramaglia returned to Red Bull Bragantino on loan for the 2024 campaign and enjoyed a strong season, so much so that the club decided to sign her permanently at the end of the calendar year.
2025: The young forward will hope to have another great campaign in Brazil in 2025, perhaps to get into the Argentina squad for Copa America this summer.
Advertisement19Juliet Nalukenge (Apollon Limassol)
2022: After an impressive spell on loan at AMOK Chrysomolia, Nalukenge returned to parent club Apollon Limassol for the 2022-23 season and was among the goals when the campaign began. However, an injury in December halted her progress. She underwent successful surgery before Christmas.
2023: The Uganda star spent the year working her way back from that setback and was back on the pitch at the end of 2023.
2024: Nalukenge certainly made up for lost time and got back among the goals as she helped Apollon win yet another league title.
2025: Sadly Nalukenge will not be at this summer's Africa Cup of Nations with Uganda, with the Crested Cranes failing to qualify for the event in Morocco.
18Maya Hijikata (Tokyo Verdy Beleza)
2022: Hijikata was part of the Japan team that reached the final of the U20 Women's World Cup in Costa Rica, making five appearances from the bench as her country finished runners-up. Hijikata also made her WE League debut for Tokyo Verdy Beleza in 2022, against Omiya in March, and scored her first goal against Sagamihara in May.
2023: The young forward continued to push for game time with her club’s first team and helped Japan win a gold medal at the Women's Asian Games in the summer.
2024: Hijikata was one of the stars of the U20 Women's Asian Cup in March, picking up the Golden Boot award as Japan reached the final, and she carried that form into the U20 World Cup in September, scoring five goals and winning the Bronze Boot as Japan reached another final.
2025: Hijikata's strong performances in the youth national teams earned her a senior Japan debut at the end of 2024 and she'll hope to build on that first cap through 2025.
17Aemu Oyama (Tokyo Verdy Beleza)
2022: Oyama started all six of Japan's matches at the U20 Women's World Cup as they reached the final, opening the quarter-final penalty shootout against France with a successful spot-kick.
2023:Oyama struggled to earn more minutes with the first team at Tokyo Verdy Beleza, such is the quality and competition within the squad.
2024: The youngster was a key part of the Japan side that reached the U20 Women's Asian Cup final in March and then the U20 Women's World Cup final in September.
2025: Oyama's performances for the youth national teams caught the attention of Manchester City, who signed her to a two-and-a-half-year contract in January.