Fancy footwork and a competitive nature have propelled Sophie Stewart-Hobbs into the New Zealand Under 17 Football Ferns destined for the World Cup in Costa Rica.
The 15-year-old is training with the premier squad in Auckland and will fly out to Central America on March 10. She has been in the wider squad for two years and says it felt amazing to make the top team.
"It's really exciting and a dream come true. I can't believe it."
The Tauranga teenager started playing soccer as four-year-old and quickly climbed through the ranks. She has represented the Western Bay of Plenty and Waikato/Bay of Plenty in all age groups and sacrificed other sports to concentrate on soccer.
She will play fullback for the Kiwis, but is also a skilled wing and mid-fielder.