NJ teen, Casey Phair, becomes the youngest ever World Cup player at 16 years and 26 days of age
SYDNEY, Australia — Throughout South Korea’s Women’s World Cup opener against Colombia on Tuesday, players stayed loose behind the goal. Early in the 78th minute, one player broke away from the group. Casey Phair, at 16 years and 26 days, stepped onto the field and became the youngest player to do so in a World Cup – women’s or men’s.
“Going on, I was really, really nervous,” said Phair, who has an American father and a South Korean mother and was raised in Warren Township, New Jersey. “It was a scary moment, but then going on and running around, I think it just settled in.”
The record previously was held by the late Ifeanyi Chiejine, who was 16 years and 34 days old when she played for Nigeria in the 1999 Women’s World Cup.
In the 17 minutes she spent on the field in South Korea’s 2-0 loss, Phair was near the ball at all times, competing with Colombian players for possession every chance she got.
“She deserved the chance to play,” South Korea’s head coach Collin Bell said. “She trained really well, just as well as anybody. I wanted to throw her on to give her that experience.”
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