Casey Phair breaks Ifeanyi Chiejine’s 24-year Women’s World Cup record

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde

16-year-old South Korean forward, Casey Phair has emerged as the youngest player at any FIFA Women’s World Cup making history in the team’s opening match against Colombia.

The game was her international debut for the Asian side as she came on as a substitute in the 78th minute during her side’s 2-0 loss to Colombia.

At 16 years and 26 days, she broke the previous record set by Nigeria’s Ifeanyi Chiejine who was 16 years and 34 days old when she appeared at the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Phair is also a historic addition to the South Korean squad, as the first mixed heritage player to earn a spot on a World Cup roster for the country.

Phair’s mother is Korean and her father is American, and the teen plays her club football for Players Development Academy (PDA) in New Jersey, United States of America (U.S.A).

She moved to the United States as a child when her parents relocated. Phair participated in the U.S camp last year but instead chose to represent the country of her birth, South Korea.