Rangers’ Taylor Vujnovich at the U17 FIFA Women’s World Cup
November 26, 2025-- West Coast Rangers forward Taylor Vujnovich recently returned from competing at the U17 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Morocco, representing New Zealand Football and showcasing the strength of our younger footballers at West Coast Rangers. Vujnovich shares the details of her trip, her journey thus far in her football career, and the steps she’s taken towards success.
Vujnovich started playing football a bit later than most at age 11, and made quick progress with her dedication and love for the game– making her West Coast Rangers 1st team debut at age 15. “I was so inspired by Croatia’s run in the World Cup that I wanted to start playing, so at school I’d join in with the boys at lunch and spent most of my time just playing for fun. I joined my local club Norwest United (now West Coast Rangers), and realised that this was something I was really passionate about.” Being a local player, staying with West Coast Rangers throughout her career has made her progress feel even more special. “I’ve had an excellent journey playing for the Rangers 1st team so far, winning the league was definitely a highlight for me. I’ve been at Rangers for my whole career so it’s definitely very special for me to come this far with my home club, and to go from being the girl who started football “late” to a World Cup player.”
Vujnovich's dreams of going to a World Cup started with big goals and reminders to keep her on track and motivated. “I put subtle reminders of the World Cup all around my room just to make sure I kept my biggest goal in front of me and remembered why I was doing this,” she says. “It kept me focused and reminded me why I was doing this.” Although Vujnovich states she never had a specific ‘moment of realization,’ she noted that it was an opportunity she knew was there and something she had to work extremely hard for.
With each squad call-up, her confidence grew, and her mindset shifted. “I was mentally prepared for any outcome,” she says, “but as I made more squad games and camps, I knew I was really in the running for it.” Rather than getting comfortable, Vujnovich used each opportunity to raise her standards and improve. That determination eventually led to her selection for the New Zealand national team.
Vujnovich’s time with the New Zealand U17 team was filled with unforgettable moments. But one match in particular stands out to her: a thrilling encounter with Zambia. “There have been many great moments for the team, beating Nigeria is something that I can’t go without mentioning,” she recalls. “However, my personal highlight playing for NZ U17’s was the last game against Zambia. We were down 4:0, but the girls refused to let the game define us and brought so much heart. That kind of unity only comes from experiencing something like this together. After the final whistle, the emotions hit hard. It wasn’t just because it was the end of our tournament, but also the weight of realising how much we had all poured into this journey.”
For Vujnovich, the unity and spirit of the team were more meaningful than any individual performance. “Everyone played for each other and pushed until the very end, and that spirit from the girls meant everything to me. It made me realise how special it was to have the experience of representing my country and the connection you carry with the people beside you in moments like these.”
Vujnovich describes the impact the U17’s World Cup had on her development as a player, and as a person: “The World Cup taught me so much about myself as a player. I learned how important composure was in high pressure moments, and what it really takes to represent your country.”
“I think also playing other countries with different styles of football is incredibly eye-opening. It set the standard for me internationally and showed how good you need to be to compete at that level. It exposed parts of my game that needed improvement, but also highlighted strengths that I didn’t really value before. When I got back, the mentality shifted. I came home more confident, but also more aware of the gap between where I am and where I want to be. It’s an experience that has changed the way I approach pressure, and has pushed me to set bigger goals for myself in the future.”
Additionally, Vujnovich explains her personal connection to overcoming struggles and viewing obstacles as part of the growth process. “There’s moments in every athlete's career where they struggle, success doesn’t come without it so it's something you have to be prepared for. There’s always gonna be performances that don’t reflect the work you put in, but what helped me overcome them was switching my perspective. I treated mistakes and setbacks as part of my development instead of seeing it as failure. I’ve dealt with so many moments where overcoming them took time, but the skill of resetting mentally is something that has really helped but something I’m still learning. Once you stop letting fear dictate your game and start driving performances with confidence and intent, things begin to shift.”
Consistency and dedication are two main components of Vujnovich’s training regime– “Holding yourself accountable to get touches on the ball everyday builds up your technique over time, and contributes significantly to the player you’ll become in the future. If you can have a steady routine to improve, you’ll start to notice real progress in your game and that’s what people think luck is. None of it is flashy or exciting. It's repetitive, sometimes boring work, but those small habits are what separate the good from the great, and are still in my foundation of how I try to improve today.”
Vujnovich advises younger players who wish to follow in her footsteps, “If you find joy in the work no one sees and show up for your dream everyday, you’ll be ready when your moment comes.”
