Know your player for AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026: Serto Lynda Kom

Lynda was the leading goalscorer and Most Valuable Player in SAFF U-18 Women’s Championship 2022

The Indian women’s football team did the unthinkable after qualifying for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026. The Blue Tigresses, led by former Costa Rica national team gaffer Amelia Valverde has a golden chance to etch their name in golden letters in Australia as India’s World Cup dreams are also at stake.

The road to Australia was never easy for the Blue Tigress as they had to defeat teams like Iraq, Timor Leste, Mongolia and most importantly, Thailand at their home. But the hard work, sweat and tears paid off as India made their way to the continent’s most premier competition ever.

India have been drawn alongside stalwarts like Japan, Vietnam, and Chinese Taipei in Group C. India’s defense will undergo a major test, but most importantly, all eyes will also be on the attacking unit of the team.

After all, they must try to salvage at least a win against Chinese Taipei or Vietnam to have a good chance to qualify for the knockout stages of the competition by possibly finishing as one of the best third-ranked teams at worst.

In this feature article, we dedicate our space to one of India’s most sensational young strikers, who will have the responsibility to score goals for India in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026.

We take a look at the career highlights of Lynda Kom and find out what she brings to the table for Amelia Valverde and the team.

Lynda Kom’s career so far:

Life is never easy in the hills but young Lynda’s grit and determination to reach the pinnacle saw her defy all the odds to represent her country in the continent’s most premier competition.

Lynda Kom began her footballing journey while playing with neighborhood boys. The youngest of four siblings, her parents supported her football dreams, despite initial reluctance. Lynda, daughter of a farmer, hails from Khoirentak Khunou, a small village in Manipur.

In her early days, her talent grabbed a lot of eyeballs, and she was selected to the Sports Authority of India training Centre in Imphal. After that, she never looked behind. In 2019, she represented India in the SAFF U15 Women’s Championship and finished as one of the top goalscorers of the tournament.

Lynda made scoring goals look like a cakewalk, and she did it again. This time, in the Steel City of Jamshedpur, India became the champions of the SAFF U-18 Women’s Championship 2022. She played a crucial role and was adjudged the top goalscorer as well as the Most Valuable Player.

Her excellent form continued with domestic clubs as she led the attacking units of Odisha FC and the Young Welfare Club before switching allegiance to Sethu FC in 2025.

She is one of the leading goal scorers of this tournament with 7 goals.

Read More: Player profile: Pyari Xaxa

What does Lynda bring to the table?

Lynda made her senior debut for the Indian national team and has scored on multiple occasions. From being a young talent to making her mark for the senior national team as a regular striker, the 21-year-old striker from Imphal has come a long way already, and this is just the beginning.

The upcoming edition of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 provides a golden opportunity for young Lynda to impress on a global platform. Apart from just clinical finishes, she is regarded as one of the most tactically sound and intelligent players in the squad.

In crowded and impregnable defenses, she uses low Centre of gravity and agility to create spaces. India will be facing some of the best teams of the continent, including the likes of Japan, Vietnam and Chinese Taipei, and it will be interesting to see if Lynda finds ways to get the better of their solid defenses.

Let us take a closer look at the tactical aspects of how these three teams play and find out how Lynda can contribute in unlocking their defences.

Firstly, against one of the best teams in the world, Japan, India will rely only on counterattacks and transition plays to create attacking chances. Even if India sits deep, Lynda will be tasked with the responsibility to keep pressing Japan’s Centre-backs intelligently to disrupt the build-up rhythm.

The game against Vietnam will be a crucial one. If India could salvage a point from this game, they would have a serious chance. Vietnam aren’t as press resistant as Japan, so coordinated pressing from Lynda could force mistakes and India could create chances.

India’s match against Chinese Taipei will be a must-win, and they generally play direct balls. So, India would require Lynda to exploit their defenses and also finish clinically upfront.

Player profile: Lynda Kom Serto

• Name: Lynda Kom Serto
• Date of Birth: 28 February 2005
• Age: 21
• Place of Birth: Khoirentak Khunou, Manipur, India
• Height: ~1.54 m (5’1″)
• Position: Forward
• Preferred Foot: Right footed
• Current Club: Sethu FC (Madurai)
• Previous Clubs: The Young Welfare Club, Odisha FC