Two of the NWSL’s best young players will face off in a top table clash as the Washington Spirit and San Diego Wave battle for second place on Friday. Dudinha, a 20-year-old in her second season at the Wave, has started all nine games this season, logging three goals and four assists in 842 minutes. Despite her age, Dudinha has already secured plenty of game time for the Brazilian national team and has carried that experience to San Diego, quickly becoming a star player on this squad.
Claudia Martínez, meanwhile, is a newcomer that has been electrifying during her brief time on the field. The 2025 Kopa trophy nominee joined the Spirit for a reported $950,000 over the offseason, and despite being treated as more of a future prospect rather than immediate starter, has already shown her quality. In just 338 minutes, the 18 year-old has scored three times, with all of those goals coming in her last four appearances.
Ahead of what will surely be a major test for both of these players, let’s take a look at how each youngster has forged their own path to the front lines of this week’s marquee matchup.
Dudinha
It took a few games for Dudinha to get accustomed to the league when she joined San Diego midway through last season, but by September, the winger was already bagging goals. With five goals through five games leading up to the playoffs, Dudinha was on fire, and although the Wave failed to advance past the quarterfinals, she’s continued that form into this season.
Even when she doesn’t get on the scoresheet, the Brazilian has been performing exceptionally well. Dudinha is sixth best among NWSL players with a minimum of 500 minutes played in goals added (g+), a metric by American Soccer Analysis (ASA) that aims to measure a player’s total on-ball contribution.
A big part of that is her quality taking on defenders — Dudinha ranks as the third best dribbler in the league, behind only Barbra Banda and Croix Bethune in dribbling g+. Not only does she attempt more carries per game than most players in the league, but when she gets isolated in 1v1 situations, the winger is deadly, twisting in and out before selecting her path and blowing by the defender. Her low center of gravity and magnetic footwork allow her to cut and turn with ease, often leading to embarrassing moments for opposing players. This was perfectly exemplified in the lead up to her goal on Sunday against Angel City:
Later in the same game, Dudinha played an inch-perfect cross that was hammered home by a crashing Mimi Van Zanten. The attacker’s playmaking ability has taken a step up from last season; while she averaged just 0.11 expected assists (xA) per 96 minutes last season, that has ballooned to 0.27 in 2026. For San Diego, this has made all the difference — her four assists have each come in critical moments: her first of the season helped secure a major win against the Portland Thorns, she assisted both goals in a 2-0 win against the Chicago Stars, and the aforementioned ball to Van Zanten was a game-winner.
Between her ball-carrying skills and ability to create opportunities for teammates, the Brazilian has become crucial for the Wave. It’s hard to imagine the team finding similar success without her.
Claudia Martínez
Martínez’s career really took off at last year’s Copa America, where the then-17-year-old scored six goals through six matches for Paraguay to become the joint-winner of the tournament’s golden boot trophy. Martínez was abnormally experienced for her age, having been playing senior soccer for her club team since her 16th birthday. This, alongside her talent on the international stage, propelled her to a Kopa Trophy nomination, where she joined the ranks of Vicky Lopez, Linda Caicedo, and other top youngsters.
After signing with the Washington Spirit this offseason, President of Soccer Operations Haley Carter told reporters that Martínez was “a long-term project, for lack of a better word,” but that “her potential is exceptional.” Carter stressed that the club was trying to limit expectations on the teenager so as to not put too much pressure on her, and this was reflected in her initial playing time. Martínez has featured in all nine games this season, but it wasn’t until her fifth appearance that she was allowed more than 30 minutes on the field. That may now be changing. In Martínez’s last four outings, including her first start of the year against Orlando on May 2, the teenager has scored three times, the two most recent of which were game-winners.
Despite just 338 total minutes on the field, including stoppage time, the Paraguayan has proved that, like Dudinha, her quality extends far beyond goalscoring. And though it’s a small sample size, it’s no wonder why fans are so excited about this young phenom.
Martínez’s dribbling tends to be more direct than Dudinha’s, but the teenager is still unafraid to take risks. While that frequently leads to missed passes or losing the ball in dangerous areas, it also often results in moments of magic. Thus, despite the mistakes characteristic of a young player still finding her footing, the good has far outweighed the bad.
One of Martínez’s greatest talents is receiving the ball in attacking areas. Her movement off the ball in transition is key to unlocking defensive lines, especially with talented passers like Trinity Rodman and Leicy Santos behind her. Once she gets into those areas, she’s able to turn, face the goal, and drive towards it with speed. One thing to note about Martínez is that she is not a passer; her instinct is to shoot. When she finds herself in and around the box, her eyes are always on the net. Because of that, she ranks poorly in passing g+, and this season has failed to complete a single key pass leading to a shot. There’s definitely room for improvement for the 18-year-old, but given her dynamism, finishing, and ability to stretch opposing defenses, she’s quickly become an integral piece of the Spirit’s attacking puzzle.
What to expect on Friday
With Sofia Cantore struggling to score consistently this season and Gift Monday’s lack of playing time, there’s a chance that Martínez could star up top for the Spirit on Friday. That being said, it’s more likely that she’ll be splitting time with Rosemonde Kouassi on the wing, after the pair were platooned in the Spirit’s most recent game against the Reign. Because of that, we may only see 45 minutes for the young Paraguayan, but recent results have shown that a half is all the time Martínez needs to make her mark.
Bar a late injury or complication, Dudinha will surely be starting against the Washington Spirit, and will inhabit the role she’s been playing all season: difference-maker. She’ll likely be facing Gabrielle Carle on the left side of the field, and will be tasked with causing trouble for the Canadian defender. Too much pressure on Carle and Esme Morgan may be pulled wide to help defend Dudinha, creating space centrally for Ludmila or a crashing midfielder to exploit. The Brazilian created many such opportunities in a recent game against the Thorns, and could aim to do the same against a similarly attacking Washington Spirit side.
The Spirit and the Wave are evenly-matched, high-performing teams that will each look to secure three points and climb the table on Friday. While the game could go either way, the presence of exciting young stars like Dudinha and Martínez is sure to make the match an exciting watch.
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