Ewa Pajor, Croix Bethune and why Ilona Walta is one to watch in Finland - your women's football roundup
There might be more and more leagues shutting down for the summer as each week goes by, but that does not mean that there is a shortage of things for fans to discuss at this moment in time, with a number of leagues still occurring and which will continue to do so throughout the coming months, whilst the Olympics is fast approaching and the opening of the transfer window is only just around the corner.
As always, this newsletter will bring you everything that you need to know from the women’s game around the world, highlighting some of the on-field stories and then providing a carefully selected list of reading and listening material for you to dive into at your leisure.
3 key talking points….
Wherever Ewa Pajor goes next, she needs to be used as a centre forward
There is always something special about watching Ewa Pajor play football, with her having such a calm demeanour when on the field and demonstrating a high degree of precision whenever the ball is at her feet. She is a talent that anyone would love to have in their team, and this summer could see a bidding war spark into life as she departs current club Wolfsburg after nine years and moves to pastures new.
https://x.com/endemann25/status/1790328103866093988
During her time at the German club, she has played a key role in making them one of Europe’s strongest sides, and her final third presence and deadly accuracy when finishing chances off have led to her becoming one of the continent’s most-feared strikers.
However, there is more to her game than simply scoring goals, with her also playing in wider areas and using her speed to test opponents in other ways too, and it was that that really stood out last season as head coach Tommy Stroot searched for a way to fit both her and Alex Popp into the team, with the solution that he came up with being to shift Pajor into a wide attacking role whilst Popp led the line.
Whilst this does demonstrate her versatility, there is no doubting that being in front of goal is where she is most in her element, with her first-half hat-trick against Essen on the last day of the Bundesliga campaign indicating just how dangerous she can be when leading the line.
It is not yet certain where Pajor will end up ahead of next season (although it is widely reported and expected that Barcelona will be her next employers), but there is no doubting that they will be signing a player who will offer a constant goal threat, and, whilst she can offer a degree of versatility, deploying her in the main attacking role will be where they will really get the most out of her.
Croix Bethune is an early contender for the NWSL’s Rookie of the Year
With the NWSL season now 11 matchweeks old, fans have been able to make plenty of assessments about which teams could meet their pre-season aims this year and which players are destined for a positive campaign.
One of those that has really caught the eye during the first part of the season has been Croix Bethune, who joined Washington Spirit in this year’s Draft after starring for Georgia Bulldogs and who has shown during her short time as a professional that she has all the makings of being a future world star, with her capable of playing between opposing lines, connecting different areas of the team together in transitions and generally providing a presence that has made her virtually impossible to contain.
“A breeze” is one way many would describe Croix Bethune’s style of play on the pitch. Throughout her college career, first at the University of Southern California, then at the University of Georgia, she has an ease on the ball that few possess in U.S. soccer. She’s creative, audacious and fearless in a way that is enviable. She has often been regarded as one of the best young players in the country.”
Southern Sylvs, writing for All For XI in February 2024.
It is all of these that have made her the perfect fit for Washington so far, with them currently in a phase of development ahead of the summer arrival of outgoing Barcelona head coach Jonatan Giráldez, and it is expected that he will look to implement the same basic principles to the Spirit’s play and to bring them more in line with traditional possession-based tactics.
As a result, having a player like Bethune in his ranks will be hugely beneficial, and it could well be that, with her sharing traits with the likes of Aitana Bonmatí and Alexia Putellas, she become a key focal point for the rest of the team during the second half of the campaign.
During her short time at the Spirit so far, Bethune has really complimented their other main forward options of Trinity Rodman, Ashley Hatch, Brittany Ratcliffe and Ouleymata Sarr, and so much of what they as a team have done well has involved her in some way. For that reason, she could be one to watch as the year goes on.
Ilona Walta could be one to watch in the Finnish game
Scandinavia has a proud history in the women’s game and Finland has produced its fair share of outstanding players, with the likes of Tinja-Riikka Korpela, Ria Öling and Linda Sällström some of the current stars to have hailed from its shores who have gone on to make a name for themselves in the global game.
It might not be quite at the same level now but it is still a country worth monitoring, with the national team playing some very interesting football stylistically and the domestic top flight (the Kansallinen Liiga) always capable of providing fans with stories to engage with, such as last year’s historic league and cup double for KuPS.
For a look at KuPS’ tactics in 2023, have a look at my article for Total Football Analysis here:
This season, one of the things that could gain some traction is the promise of 18-year-old midfielder Ilona Walta, who has been a key part of Honka’s performances since moving to the club ahead of the current campaign and who has proven her credentials to become a future world star.
At the weekend, she demonstrated all of the traits that a young player needs to succeed, with her dropping into pockets of space to allow her team to play through the PK-35 Vantaa lines, as well as making overlapping runs and finding the back of the net on two occasions against her former side.
https://x.com/KansallinenL/status/1794735423211868303
There is no doubting when watching Walta that she is a good fit for Honka’s transitional play and that she has the qualities needed to go all the way, and it will certainly be worth keeping an eye on her progress over the course of the season to see how she continues to develop and to realise her potential.
Read all about it….
Rachel Furness opens up on her mental health battle - Rachel Furness is widely respected around England and Northern Ireland and is known for being a generally happy person, but that has not always been the case, with her revealing in this interview with BBC Sport NI’s Andy Gray about the problems that she has faced and why she needed to take time away from the Northern Ireland team after Euro 2022.
Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmatí - whilst Barcelona’s Champions League win at the weekend was down to a full team effort, the two players who played a pivotal role in making the win possible were Aitana Bonmatí and Alexia Putellas, as Laia Cervelló Herrero explains in this article for The Athletic.
Scottish football awards - with the season in Scotland coming to an end at the weekend, following the Scottish Cup win for Rangers against Hearts, the How’s Your Touch team have had their say on who stood out and why and have provided some final thoughts on players, coaches and teams who caught the eye throughout the campaign.
Lend me your ears….
Barca win UWCL title | Pride set new NWSL consecutive win streak record | First impressions of Emma Hayes - the latest edition of the Attacking Third podcast provides insight into the Champions League final, the latest from the NWSL and first impressions on Emma Hayes’ tenure with the USWNT, now that she has arrived in the country and is preparing on the ground for her debut in the upcoming international break. It is a very good listen.
That’s all for now - back next week!!