Who will be Northern Ireland's new captain?

After wearing the armband for eight years, Marissa Callaghan announced on Friday she was stepping down as Northern Ireland captain.

The 38-year-old Cliftonville midfielder has led Northern Ireland through the most successful period in the women's team's history, including at the 2022 European Championship finals in Southampton.

Callaghan wore the armband in 52 of her 89 international matches and says the decision, which comes after Northern Ireland's first two Euro 2025 qualifiers, was “not taken lightly”.

But who will be Northern Ireland's new captain with the double-header against Portugal imminent?

Laura Rafferty

Age: 28 Position: defender Association: Southampton Caps: 45

Southampton defender Laura Rafferty will be one of the frontrunners after being handed the armband on several occasions in Callaghan's absence.

This represents a remarkable turnaround for the 28-year-old, considering she has been a regular member of the squad for the last two years. However, she is now one of the first names on Tanya Oxtoby's team sheet.

“I feel like Raff and Marissa complement each other really well with their leadership styles and what they bring to the group,” Oxtoby said in April.

“We have so many leaders in this group. The fact that Raff leads from the back when Marissa is not on the pitch is just a given for me.”

It wouldn't be a surprise if Rafferty handed over the armband permanently.

Simone Magill

Age: 29 Position: striker Association: Aston Villa Caps: 83 Goals: 25

Simone Magill has often been the face of women's football in Northern Ireland due to her goalscoring exploits and reputation in the WSL with Everton and now Aston Villa.

Since making her senior debut at the age of 15, Magill has been one of the first names on the NI team sheet and her experience, both internationally and in the WSL, is vital for Oxtoby.

Magill is at the heart of Northern Ireland's attack and the 29-year-old is chasing Rachel Furness' record.

Like many of her teammates, Magill has played a key role in Northern Ireland's recent highs and her Euro 2022-ending knee injury has only added fuel to the fire for further success on the international stage.

She has also captained Northern Ireland's age group teams and would no doubt relish the chance to do the same at senior level.

Nadene Caldwell

Age: 33 Position: midfield player Association: Glentoran Caps: 82 Goals: 2

Nadene Caldwell has been one of Northern Ireland's most reliable players in recent years, delivering consistent performances wherever she is deployed.

At age 33, Caldwell might be a shorter-term option than some of the candidates, but her professionalism and efficiency cannot go under the radar.

The midfielder has been instrumental in Northern Ireland's recent successes, scoring the goal that secured their place in the 2022 Euro finals.

Most recently, she was asked to fill in at centre-back for NI's first two Euro 2025 qualifiers following an injury crisis in defence.

Typically, it was a test that she passed with flying colors.

Lauren Wade

Age: 30 Position: Forward Association: reading Caps: 59 Goals: 11

Since moving to Reading after the 2022 Euro finals, winger Lauren Wade has been committed to her country and is arguably at her best when she wears green.

She wore the armband in the second half of her 50th international match against Albania in September and ended up scoring the winning goal.

In fact, Wade has become an important player for Northern Ireland, with the 30-year-old also scoring in February's play-off win against Montenegro and in April in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Her pace causes problems for any full-back she comes up against and she has featured in every game for Reading this season, highlighting her reliability.

Wade's approach of working hard and patiently waiting for the right move to England also sets an example for younger members of the squad.

Joely Andrews

Age: 22 Position: midfield player Association: Glentoran Caps: 19 Goals: 1

There are a number of exciting young players breaking through in the Northern Ireland squad, including 22-year-old Glentoran midfielder Joely Andrews.

If Oxtoby wanted to make an outside bet away from their experienced players, then Andrews could be that player.

The Glentoran midfielder has been linked with a move across the water and has established herself as a key midfielder under Oxtoby.

It worked for the Republic of Ireland and Katie McCabe, who received the armband at 21. So might Oxtoby be tempted to take a similar approach?

It would be a wild card, and while realistically the current appointment is probably too soon, don't be surprised if Andrews becomes captain later in her promising career.