Asian American teenager Casey Phair represented South Korea during their game against the U.S. Women’s National Team on Saturday.
The 16-year-old forward had previously been called up to both the U.S. and South Korean youth teams but chose South Korea last year. She became the youngest player to see the field at the Women’s World Cup in Australia.
Phair signed with NWSL team Angel City F.C. last year, securing a Nike deal in the process.
“I played in the World Cup with and against the best players,” Phair said in an interview with ESPN. “Coming back from that, I don’t really see how I could play U-17 and then go to college. I wanted to keep getting better and not just peak at the World Cup, then go down and go to college and then have to get back up to a professional level.”
The young player has received high praise from teammates and coaches, past and present.
“She’s a really talented footballer. She’s a really good person, too,” former coach Mike O’Neill told GOAL. “It is so important that, in all of this, you have to keep your feet on the ground. You never lose sight of what helped you get there. That’s really important. I also believe that’s a reflection of her family too, because they do a great job with that. It’s a great family.”
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