Rebekah Stott has continued her remarkable comeback from cancer with selection to the Football Ferns squad for the upcoming SheBelieves Cup.
In March 2021, Stott, 28, was diagnosed with Stage 3 Hodgkin Lymphoma. She underwent treatment and has been in complete remission since July.
In December, she returned to the A-League Women's Melbourne City, where she quickly re-established herself as one of the competition's premier defenders, while also becoming the club's all-time appearance leader.
Now she's poised to add to her 71 international caps, after being named to the 23-player squad to take on Czech Republic, Iceland and hosts USA in the round-robin tournament, starting February 17.
Stott hasn't represented New Zealand since the FIFA Women's World Cup in France in July 2019.
"This goes beyond football," says Football Ferns coach Jitka Klimková. "[Stott's] situation is very unique - very few players have gone through what she has and returned to international football.
"She is a fighter. We all hoped and believed that she would come back, and watching her performances each week for Melbourne City has shown what a role model she is.
"She means so much to this team and we’re honoured to have her back."
Wellington Phoenix captain Lily Alfeld becomes the club's first Football Ferns call-up, as she returns to the squad for the first time since the 2019 China tour.
Stott’s club teammate and A-League Women's leading goalscorer Hannah Wilkinson, Ford Football Ferns veteran Abby Erceg, forward Emma Rolston and Perth Glory defender Liz Anton all return.
But the squad will be without the services of key players Anna Leat and Rosie White, who are unavailable for selection for personal reasons.
The Football Ferns showed signs of progress during Klimková's first tour in charge to Canada and South Korea late last year, where they departed with a morale-boosting 2-0 win over the Koreans.
Klimková hopes to carry that momentum into the SheBelieves Cup, which she believes serves as vital preparation for the FIFA Women's World Cup on home soil next year.
"The SheBelieves Cup offers us a diversity of opposition to play against in a short space of time," says Klimková. "Our goal here is to finish in the top two - the equivalent of getting out of the group at the World Cup.
"Czech Republic and Iceland are very competitive, while the USA is the No.1-ranked side in the world, but this will be invaluable experience in our preparations for kicking off our home world cup in July next year."
Football Ferns squad for the SheBelieves Cup:
Lily Alfeld - Wellington Phoenix FC
Victoria Esson - SC Sand, Germany
Erin Nayler - Umeå IK, Sweden
Elizabeth Anton - Perth Glory FC, Australia
CJ Bott - Unattached
Katie Bowen - North Carolina Courage, USA
Claudia Bunge - Melbourne Victory FC, Australia
Abby Erceg - North Carolina Courage, USA
Meikayla Moore - Liverpool FC, England
Rebekah Stott - Melbourne City FC, Australia
Ali Riley - Angel City FC, USA
Ashleigh Ward - Actonians LFC, England
Ria Percival - Tottenham Hotspur FC, England
Daisy Cleverley - Unattached
Betsy Hassett - Stjarnan, Iceland
Malia Steinmetz - Western Sydney Wanderers FC, Australia
Olivia Chance - Celtic FC, Scotland
Ava Collins - St John's University, USA
Jacqui Hand - Unattached
Gabi Rennie - Arizona State University, USA
Emma Rolston - Unattached
Paige Satchell - Sydney FC, Australia
Hannah Wilkinson - Melbourne City FC, Australia
