University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Soccer's Rebeka Vega to Represent Venezuela in 2024 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup
8/28/2024 9:30:00 AM | Women's Soccer
BOGOTÁ, Colombia- Southern Miss women's soccer forward Rebeka Vega is set to represent her home country, Venezuela, at the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Colombia, starting Aug. 31 through Sept. 22.
A sophomore from Lafayette, La., Vega played in 13 games with five starts in 2023 for the Golden Eagles, totaling 736 minutes of action on the season. She tallied five points in her freshman campaign with two goals and an assist, netting her first career goal at the beginning of the season against LSU.
Now, Vega will continue her journey with the U-20 Venezuelan Team after recently helping her country qualify for the World Cup for only the second time in team history. Vega received an invite to play for Venezuela last spring and started seven out of her eight appearances in the 2024 South American U-20 Women's Football Championship Tournament in Ecuador, leading the team past the group stage and clinching the final bid to grace the world stage in Colombia.
"I took a leap of faith on March 11, 2023, to drive to Lafreniere Park in Metairie, La. God rewarded me and the Golden Eagles with such a humble, hungry, smart and coachable young lady," Southern Miss head coach Mohammed El-Zare said. "She has a huge ceiling with an appetite for learning, which makes coaching her fun. We are extremely proud of what she has accomplished in her young career and wish her and Venezuela all the best in the World Cup. Estoy muy orgulloso de ti Rebecca."
(Photo/Vintontinto Femenina)
Before her appearance in Ecuador, Vega gained experience with the Venezuelan National Team, playing for the U-23 squad in 2023, helping the team to a 13-0 victory over Dominica with a goal and an assist, and playing in a 2-0 triumph against Nicaragua.
Before arriving in Hattiesburg, Vega played at Ascension Episcopal School in Lafayette, La., where she set a school record with 40 goals scored. As a member of the track team, Vega also set records in the long jump and 400m race. Vega also played club soccer for the Albion Hurricanes FC and Cajun Rush.
Vega and Venezuela will compete in Group D, along with Germany, Nigeria and South Korea. Venezuela will begin group play in the 2024 U-20 Women's World Cup on Sunday, Sept. 1, against Germany at 6 p.m. Venezuela will then face Korea on Wednesday, Sept. 4, at 8:00 p.m. before traveling to Cali's Pascual Guerrero Stadium to take on Nigeria at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 7.
The top two finishers from each group, along with four of the top third-place teams, will advance to the Round of 16, starting Sept. 11.
For the latest information on Southern Miss Soccer, follow the program on Facebook (facebook.com/SouthernMissSoccer), Twitter (@SouthernMissSoc) and Instagram (@southernmisssoccer).
A sophomore from Lafayette, La., Vega played in 13 games with five starts in 2023 for the Golden Eagles, totaling 736 minutes of action on the season. She tallied five points in her freshman campaign with two goals and an assist, netting her first career goal at the beginning of the season against LSU.
Now, Vega will continue her journey with the U-20 Venezuelan Team after recently helping her country qualify for the World Cup for only the second time in team history. Vega received an invite to play for Venezuela last spring and started seven out of her eight appearances in the 2024 South American U-20 Women's Football Championship Tournament in Ecuador, leading the team past the group stage and clinching the final bid to grace the world stage in Colombia.
"I took a leap of faith on March 11, 2023, to drive to Lafreniere Park in Metairie, La. God rewarded me and the Golden Eagles with such a humble, hungry, smart and coachable young lady," Southern Miss head coach Mohammed El-Zare said. "She has a huge ceiling with an appetite for learning, which makes coaching her fun. We are extremely proud of what she has accomplished in her young career and wish her and Venezuela all the best in the World Cup. Estoy muy orgulloso de ti Rebecca."
(Photo/Vintontinto Femenina)
Before her appearance in Ecuador, Vega gained experience with the Venezuelan National Team, playing for the U-23 squad in 2023, helping the team to a 13-0 victory over Dominica with a goal and an assist, and playing in a 2-0 triumph against Nicaragua.
Before arriving in Hattiesburg, Vega played at Ascension Episcopal School in Lafayette, La., where she set a school record with 40 goals scored. As a member of the track team, Vega also set records in the long jump and 400m race. Vega also played club soccer for the Albion Hurricanes FC and Cajun Rush.
Vega and Venezuela will compete in Group D, along with Germany, Nigeria and South Korea. Venezuela will begin group play in the 2024 U-20 Women's World Cup on Sunday, Sept. 1, against Germany at 6 p.m. Venezuela will then face Korea on Wednesday, Sept. 4, at 8:00 p.m. before traveling to Cali's Pascual Guerrero Stadium to take on Nigeria at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 7.
The top two finishers from each group, along with four of the top third-place teams, will advance to the Round of 16, starting Sept. 11.
For the latest information on Southern Miss Soccer, follow the program on Facebook (facebook.com/SouthernMissSoccer), Twitter (@SouthernMissSoc) and Instagram (@southernmisssoccer).
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