2023 FIFAWWC: US-Born South Korean Breaks Nigeria Legend's Youngest Player Record

2023 FIFAWWC: US-Born South Korean Breaks Nigeria Legend's Youngest Player Record

Ibrahim Lateef 

Super Falcons legend, late Ifeanyi Chiejine's 24-years record as the youngest player to ever feature in a FIFA World Cup has been broken, reports BSNSports.com.ng.

Casey Phair, a 16-year-old soccer phenom, set a record when she entered Tuesday’s Women’s World Cup match for South Korea against Colombia. 

Phair, at 16 years and 26 days, broke the record that belonged to Chiejine, who was 16 years and 34 days old when she played for Nigeria against North Korea in 1999.

Sadly, Chiejine who captained the first set of the Falconets the first U19 (Now U20) FIFA Women's World Cup in 2002, is not alive to witness the new feat, as she passed on in 2019 following a brief illness.

Phair is also the first mixed-heritage player to be called up to a South Korean World Cup team. South Korea fell to Colombia 2-0 in their opening group-stage match and will next face Morocco on Sunday, followed by Germany on Thursday.

Phair, born to an American father and a Korean mother and based in the U.S., had the opportunity to train with the U.S. camp last year. Shortly after, she trained with the South Korean side. Though she has long admired USWNT stars such as Alex Morgan and Mallory Swanson, she ultimately opted for continuing the path with the Koreans.

This spring, Phair scored five goals in two games for their under-17s team in Asian Cup qualifying. She was then drafted into the senior squad’s training camp, before being named on the 23-player World Cup roster.