Striker: Indiah-Page Riley (NEW ZEALAND)

REPRESENTING COUNTRY: New Zealand

POSITION: Striker

AGE: 22

CLUB: PSV Vrouwen in the Eredivisie Vrouwen in the Netherlands

CAPS: 15

TROPHIES: Women's Cup winner (Fortuna Hjorring-2021/22), Kvindeliga runner-up (Fortuna Hjorring-2021/22)

PERSONAL OLYMPICS HISTORY: Indiah-Paige Riley has never been to the Olympics. She had yet to make it on Australia's national team by the 2020 Olympics (at which they qualified and received fourth place) and only made one national appearance in 2021. She then officially switched soccer nationality to play for her birth nation, New Zealand, in 2022.

SIGNATURE MOVE: N/A, but strengths are creating and scoring goals.

BACKGROUND ON NEW ZEALAND'S TEAM: New Zealand's team has not had much luck (despite talent) regarding the Olympics. They've lost almost every time at the group stage, placing 8th at their best in the 2012 Olympics hosted in the United Kingdom (Wiki). We have yet to count them out, as they had to win their Oceania tournament to clench the sixth team spot out of twelve, ad did so with an 11-1 victory. 

Why we picked her:

 Indiah-Paige Riley, also known as Indi Riley, is a young player - one of the youngest in our Ultimate Lineup. At only 22 years of age, she still has plenty of years ahead of her to grow and develop as a player. However, even knowing she's not at the top, she's calm, level-headed, and determined. When asked how she felt about the upcoming Olympics, she claimed she didn't even know if she'd be playing (FIFA)! It's clear she's not a legend yet, but she has some profound accomplishments. Indi was awarded the Player of the Match in the Oceania Qualifier of the Women's Olympic Football Tournament for both the semi-final and final match. She looks like a shoo-in to be on the Olympic team. While we could've picked New Zealand legends like Ali Riley and Hannah Wilkinson, those two players are on the older side and could start to slow down in ability. One of the most essential things to a strong team is to have balance; not only are our starting 11 lineup players to watch out for, but ideally, they would need to work well together on the field. In a dream world, Indi would thrive under the leadership of Kerolin, Aitana, and other skilled and experienced players on the field. Indi has demonstrated incredible coachability, and while that might not be a signature move, it's a fundamental quality on the playing field. We only see her going up from here, and these Olympics could be the start of her soccer reign.