Of all the players to potentially feature at this summer’s World Cup, Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw perhaps carries the largest weight of expectation on her shoulders.

Her nation’s record goalscorer with 56 strikes in less than 50 appearances, no player found the net more than the City forward at last year’s CONCACAF Women’s Championship; the tournament that clinched the Reggae Girlz’s qualification for Australia and New Zealand.

While several members of the squad currently ply their trade in the Barclays Women’s Super League, the bulk of the Jamaica side which will travel down under this summer will likely be plucked from Collegiate football in the United States. It’s far from hyperbolic to describe Shaw as the jewel in the crown of a team who are still relative newcomers on the world stage. World Cup.

Not that she’ll be daunted by that level of expectation.

A serial goalscorer at every level that she’s played, from the USA to Bordeaux and now in Manchester. But even for her own lofty standards, the striker has surpassed all expectations in 2022/23.

After grabbing 19 goals in her debut campaign for City, Shaw’s second full season at the Academy Stadium yielded an astonishing 31 goals in all competitions, surpassing Nikita Parris’ record for the most goals scored by a women’s player in a single season by early March. Our number 21 reached that tally in just 30 appearances.

Those strikes were complemented by nine assists – meaning she roughly averaged a goal involvement every 68 minutes across the entire season.

Impressive returns such as these, according to the forward, are the culmination of a frank evaluation that she underwent in the summer of 2022.

It’s a mentality that has served Shaw so effectively during her career to date – one where, regardless of the milestones she reaches, a desire to build on that success always lingers.

"After the back of last season, I did a self-assessment," she reflected after signing a contract extension at City in June 2023.

“I went over quite few games where I feel I could’ve given more and done better in certain actions. I went over some clips to see how I can get better or improve.

“I think coming into last year at the beginning of this season, in pre-season, I tried my best to implement what I’ve seen on where I can improve.  

“Scoring goals and having that momentum and that confidence with the consistency is just showing at the moment

“I put all my effort and time on the pitch and obviously for the position I play and the quality I have around me I know I’m going to be in positions to score goals.  

“At the moment I’m scoring and I’m happy.”

The next significant milestone for Shaw will be a second consecutive World Cup appearance – with Jamaica becoming the first Caribbean side to achieve the feat in the Women’s game four years prior.

In 2019, the Reggae Girlz were pitted in a group with Italy, Australia and Brazil, all placing inside the FIFA World Rankings’ top 15 at the time.

But after heavy defeats in their first two fixtures, they went into their final Group C clash with Australia knowing it would be their last until at least this summer.

Shaw and co. were under no illusions that they had a mountain to climb when they prepared to pit their wits against the Matildas in Grenoble, rather aptly regarded as the capital of the French alps.

And while they would ultimately succumb to a 4-1 loss against Australia, they came away from the clash with the significant consolation of grabbing their first and, so far, only World Cup goal.

Unsurprisingly, Shaw was heavily involved in that landmark moment, playing an incisive pass in behind the opposition defence to goalscorer, Havana Solaun.

Jamaica will have another stab at the World Cup this summer, but the build-up to the tournament hasn’t been without its challenges.

Indeed, the Reggae Girlz squad penned an open letter just over one month before their first match against France in which they expressed their frustrations around support from their national federation.

In 2008, the team were forced to withdraw from a number of tournaments due to a lack of funding but, in 2014, they were handed a new lease of life by Cedella Marley, the daughter of the legendary Bob Marley.

That increased awareness has led Jamaica to this point, four years on from becoming the first Caribbean nation to qualify for a World Cup tournament.

Irrespective of the potential obstacles that stand in Shaw and co.’s way, her pride in representing not only her country but also the region as a whole, has never diminished.

Speaking in May 2023, she said:

"For me it’s always an honour when I put on the colours of Jamaica. I feel a sense of pride and I feel I’m inspiring, not just Jamaica, but the Caribbean as a whole." 

“It’s just a great feeling and we haven’t had a lot of the resources other countries have had, but like I said, we knew what we wanted before qualifying for the World Cup and we just grinded and stuck it out.  

“Also, thank you to Cedella Marley and her team because if she didn’t come in and help, who knows where we’d have been?

“With all that being said, going to a second World Cup in the short space of time is great.” 

While it remains a significant achievement for Jamaica to reach the World Cup this summer, Shaw is determined that she and her team-mates aren’t there to simply make up the numbers.

The Reggae Girlz have once again been handed a difficult draw four years on from their maiden appearance, coming up against France, Panama and, once again, Brazil in Group F.

But the City forward and her team-mates aren’t settling for simply reaching the tournament. In 2023, they want to make their mark.

“That’s something we’ve spoken about,” Shaw nods when asked about making an impact in Australia and New Zealand.

"The first time we went to the World Cup, a lot of us were in high school and college and the experience was fresh for us, we didn’t know what to expect.  

“Going to the second, back-to-back, World Cup now where players are playing in quality leagues and in good teams, we have that experience now playing in front of thousands of people. 

“We have spoken about wanting to move past what we did last time which is to get out of the group stage and we look forward to what’s next.” 

Shaw is certain to be at the centre of any potential success Jamaica have this summer but, regardless of their performance, she can look back on the past 12 months with immense pride.

A record goal haul for City across a single campaign helped the forward be named the Club’s 2022/23 Player of the Season, while her impressive diving header against Arsenal in April, finishing off a fluid team move, also earned her the Goal of the Season gong.

It therefore comes as no surprise that City were so keen to extend the Jamaican’s contract at the end of the season, a sentiment that she reciprocated.

And to top off those outstanding achievements, Shaw was recognised for her stellar contributions at both Club and international level by winning the 2022 CONCACAF Women’s Player of the Year award.

However, there’s a consistent response from City’s number 21 when talking to her about any individual awards she might pick up during her already storied career – an appreciation for the work of those around her to bring the best out of her obvious abilities.

The art of goalscoring is often considered a selfish craft, but being solely focused on her own performances is a generalisation that would be unfairly daubed on Shaw.

While she takes immense pride in the individual accolades she has deservedly collected over the past 12 months, those achievements weren’t just down to her own exploits.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling. I think 2022 was amazing for the team,” Shaw explains when discussing the CONCACAF Women’s Player of the Year award and Jamaica’s qualification for the World Cup.

“We qualified for back-to-back World Cups and I think it’s the first time a Caribbean island have ever done that. For me, I’m just fortunate to contribute with my goals.

"I think it’s a team performance and a team effort and I credit my team for me winning the CONCACAF Player of the Year."

For all of those aforementioned accolades, a strong showing at this summer’s World Cup would be the perfect epilogue to what has been a remarkable campaign for Shaw.

Jamaica have been dealt a difficult hand in Group F but, with the City forward leading the line, they have an ace up their sleeve.

With a formidable goalscoring reputation at Club and international level in tow, you wouldn’t be surprised to see Shaw deliver once again this summer.