International swansongs will be a major theme during the upcoming FIFA Women's World Cup.
A host of stars are set to feature in the global showpiece for the final time with USA's two-time champion Megan Rapinoe already having confirmed that she will retire in October.
At 37, and playing a more peripheral role than previous editions, Brazil icon Marta is also coming close to the final chapter in what will be her sixth attempt at World Cup glory.
Meanwhile, Christine Sinclair, who has spearheaded Canada for more than 20 years and is three years Marta's senior, will hope to sign off in style as the reigning Olympic champions look to emerge from the Republic of Ireland's group. France striker Eugenie Le Sommer and Rapinoe's USA team-mate Alex Morgan are also very much in the veteran category.
But as some chapters close, new pages are also about to be written. A host of emerging talents are set to take the football pitches of Australia and New Zealand by storm in their World Cup debuts.
Giulia Dragoni
Italy manager Milena Bertolini raised a few eyebrows when she left out stalwarts like captain Sara Gama from her final squad but equally there was plenty of focus on the selection of 16-year-old Giulia Dragoni, who currently plays for Barcelona B having moved from hometown club Inter Milan in January.
The young midfielder is a renowned dribbler and won her first Italy senior cap in a friendly against Morocco on 1 July. She could well be used as an impact sub as the Azzurri go up against Sweden, Argentina and South Africa in Group G.
Salma Paralluelo
As highlighted by former League of Ireland footballer Conan Byrne on Tuesday's RTÉ Women's World Cup Podcast, Salma Paralluelo is one to watch within a talented Spain squad dominated by the Barcelona contingent.
Formerly a sprinter, she only shelved her promising athletics career last summer after leaving Villarreal for Barca but hasn't looked back.
The 19-year-old started for the Catalans as they won the Champions League final in June and scored 11 league goals in Liga F.
At international level, she netted in a friendly win over Denmark earlier this month and also helped herself to a brace in a 4-2 win over Norway in April from her station on the left flank.
Kika Nazareth
The core of Portugal's squad is built around a tight-knit group of players who are in their mid-20s to early 30s, most of whom have been stalwarts under long-time manager Francisco Neto.
Seven of their squad have more than 100 caps and just four have fewer than ten.
Aged 20, Benfica attacking midfielder Kika Nazareth has more than double that number of international appearances and as well as goals against Serbia and Turkey during the group qualification stage, she put the icing on the cake late in extra-time in the crucial 4-1 play-off win over Iceland that booked Portugal's spot in the subsequent inter-confederation play-offs, which ultimately sealed a first ever World Cup qualification.
Sophia Smith
The USA's squad leans towards experience rather than youth. Just seven of the the selection are 25 years of age or younger, while ten are 30 or over as they go in search of a third title in a row.
Among the infusion of emerging talents though is arguably their best player, Sophia Smith.
The 22-year-old Portland Thorns striker made her senior debut three years ago and has already plundered 12 international goals in 30 caps. None of them have come in 2023 though, and she failed to find the net in both April friendlies against Ireland when she started on the right of the front three.
But at her prolific best last year, she scored against England, Germany and Ireland's group opponents Nigeria among others.
And her club form this year has been exemplary with ten goals and five assists for Portland up to the mid-season break, which puts her top of the NWSL goalscoring charts and second in the assists table.
With the USWNT expected to go far, it will be no surprise if Smith finds the back of the net with regularity.
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