Argentina has a habit of producing gifted youngsters who burst onto the scene at major tournaments. Lucina von der Heyde did just that at the Vitality Hockey Women’s World Cup London, as she was voted Young Player of the tournament. Although her team were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Australia, von der Heyde had already done enough in the pool games to secure the vote.
Not that the young midfielder is any stranger to success or the big stage. She was part of the winning Junior World Cup team in 2015, where Argentina beat the Netherlands 4-2 in the final. She was then selected for the Leonas' squad that finished seventh in the 2016 Rio Olympics.
"Luchi is a great player with lovely skills. She is intelligent in the way she plays and she reads the game really well."
- Delfina Merino, Captain, Argentina
Since her performance at the World Cup in London, von der Heyde has widened her experience by accepting a contract to play for top German club side Mannheimer. Her commitments to European club hockey, combined with the demands of the inaugural FIH Pro League will provide the talented youngster with plenty of opportunity to become a full-blown Las Leonas legend.
Talking about her young compatriot’s award, Argentina’s captain and the 2017 FIH Female Best Player Delfina Merino said: “Luchi is a great player with lovely skills. She is intelligent in the way she plays and she reads the game really well. I enjoy being on the pitch alongside her, for me that is a real pleasure. I am sure she has an extraordinary future ahead of her.”
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