25 best women’s forwards of 2024 - ranked

As the stature of the women's game continues to grow, so too does the competition to be ranked among the world's best.

Mia Hamm, Ellen White, Marta, Abby Wambach and Alex Morgan were once considered some of the very best, but who tops the list now?

That's what we're here to find out.

As part of our Top 90 series, the 90min team have predicted who we think were the top 25 best forwards of 2024.

25. Rachel Daly

England international Rachel Daly took the WSL by storm when she joined Aston Villa from Houston Dash in 2022. She ended her first season as the league's top goalscorer, and matched Vivianne Miedema's record for the most goals in a single season (22). 

2023/24 was less prolific for the striker as Villa struggled for form, particularly in the early stages of the campaign. Daly announced her retirement from international football earlier this year, and will hope she can return to her best under new Villa manager Robert de Pauw in the upcoming season.

24. Stina Blackstenius

Sweden striker Stina Blackstenius has been at Arsenal since 2021, and while she hasn't always been a regular starter, she has been a consistent goalscorer. The 28-year-old has scored 43 goals in 86 appearances for the Gunners across all competitions since her arrival three years ago.

For her country, she is among the top goalscorers of all time with 31 in just over 100 caps for Sweden. She is currently recovering from a hip problem with Arsenal, but will hope for another productive campaign in 2024/25.

23. Ewa Pajor

Poland international Ewa Pajor is one of Barcelona's new recruits this summer and it's easy to see why the Liga F club were desperate to land the former Wolfsburg star. She scored 135 goals in 196 appearances for the German club across all competitions since 2015.

Pajor won five Frauen-Bundesliga with Wolfsburg, and reached four Champions League finals with the team. Now, the 27-year-old will hope to end her European trophy drought after so many near-misses.

22. Mina Tanaka

Japan international Mina Tanaka has spent the majority of her senior career playing in her homeland, and only in the last few years has she tested herself abroad. She had an initial loan spell with Bayer Leverkusen in 2021, and in July this year the 30-year-old signed for NWSL side Utah Royals.

Tanaka is the joint eighth top goalscorer of all time for her country, having scored 30 times in 74 appearances for Japan. Her most recent was against Nigeria in the group stages of the women's football tournament at the 2024 Olympics.

21. Fridolina Rolfo

30-year-old Fridolina Rolfo has been at Barcelona since 2021, having previously played in Germany with Bayern Munich and Wolfsburg. While in Spain, she has scored 32 goals in 91 appearances across all competitions and has excelled as both a wide forward and left-back.

For Sweden, Rolfo has scored 29 goals in her 85 caps so far. She made her senior debut for the national team in 2014 and has been a consistent performer ever since, helping them to a silver medal in the 2016 and 2020 Olympics, as well as third place finishes at World Cups in 2019 and 2023.

20. Alba Redondo

Alba Redondo is one of Spain's less talked about stars, having represented Levante in Liga F since 2019. This summer, the 28-year-old signed for Real Madrid and will hope to take her career to another level over the coming years.

Redondo has scored 14 goals in her 40 caps for Spain, and was part of their World Cup-winning squad in 2023. She also helped them claim victory in the inaugural Women's Nations League finals.

19. Gabi Portilho

Gabi Portilho had never scored for Brazil prior to the Olympic games this summer, but she left France with a silver medal round her neck and multiple player of the match performances. Her goals helped them beat hosts France in the quarter-finals, as well as world champions Spain in the semi-finals.

At club level, the 29-year-old has spent the majority of her senior career in her homeland. She currently represents Sao Paulo-based team Corinthians, where she has been since 2020 and has made over 70 appearances. She did have a brief spell at Madrid CFF back in 2016.

18. Marie-Antoinette Katoto

Paris Saint-Germain striker Marie-Antoinette Katoto has spent the entirety of her senior career with the club. She is their all-time top goalscorer with 168 goals in 198 appearances across all competitions since 2014, and she achieved that feat at the age of 23.

For France, Katoto has 35 goals in 45 caps after making the step up to the senior side in 2018. She is still just 25 years of age and will hope to help PSG build on their league title win from 2021.

17. Kerolin

Another of Brazil’s stars is 24-year-old Kerolin. She has represented NWSL side North Carolina Courage since 2022, having previously been at Madrid CFF. In 2023, she was named the league’s most valuable player.

Kerolin received her first senior international call-up in 2018, and it was a big summer for the forward as she helped Brazil claim a silver medal at the Olympic games in France.

16. Tabitha Chawinga

This summer, Malawi forward Tabitha Chawinga completed a high profile move to league champions Lyon. Last season, she represented rivals PSG on loan and scored 29 goals in 38 appearances across all competitions. 

Chawinga is also the captain of her country, but it is at club level she continues to shine. Last season, she was named the Division 1 Feminine's player of the season, despite PSG finishing second in the standings.

15. Kadidiatou Diani

Kadidiatou Diani has played her entire career in France, first with Paris FC, then with PSG, and now with Lyon. Last season, she scored 10 goals in 22 appearances across all competitions for her club.

For France, she has been a regular in the national team and is one of her country's most dangerous attacking threats. She registered an assist during France's Olympic campaign over the summer, but they were eventually knocked out by Brazil at the quarter-final stage.

14. Trinity Rodman

Part of the USWNT's attacking trio, nicknamed 'Triple Espresso', 22-year-old Trinity Rodman is one of the most promising attacking talents in the world. She has represented Washington Spirit in the NWSL since 2021, and so far has 26 goals in 89 appearances for the club.

Rodman made her national team debut in 2022, and has been a regular ever since. The forward three goals for the USA during the Olympics over the summer as they stormed to another gold medal.

13. Lauren Hemp

Lauren Hemp has been at Manchester City 2018, and she has arguably become one of their most consistent players over the years. She has scored 66 goals in 154 appearances for her club over the last six years.

Her performances at club level have earned her a regular starting place in Sarina Wiegman's England squad, and she has registered 18 goals in just shy of 60 caps for the Lionesses. Hemp is also among the nominees for this year’s Ballon d'Or.

12. Mayra Ramirez

Mayra Ramirez has only been at Chelsea since January, but she's already posting a very strong case to be considered among the world's best forwards. At the end of 2023/24, she put in one of the best individual performances of the season against Manchester United with two goals and two assists in a 6-0 win at Old Trafford.

For Colombia, she has also been a regular in the team since 2018, and was part of the squad that reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup in 2023 before they were knocked out by England.

11. Linda Caicedo

Linda Caicedo is currently one of the top young talents in the world as the 19-year-old has taken the football world by storm in recent years. Despite being diagnosed with ovarian cancer at the beginning of 2020, shortly after her 15th birthday, she was declared cancer-free nine months later and wasted no time in returning to the pitch.

At last summer's World Cup in Australia, the world finally took note of just how talented she is, and her goal against Germany was later nominated for the FIFA Puskas award. She now plays her club football for Real Madrid, and has scored eight goals in 48 appearances so far.

10. Alessia Russo

England's Alessia Russo has risen to super stardom since the Lionesses lifted the Euros trophy in 2022. It was a breakout tournament for the young forward, and she is now one of the most recognisable names in the English game.

Russo represented Manchester United between 2020 and 2023, but completed a move to Arsenal last summer on a free transfer. In her first season with the Gunners, she scored 16 goals in 31 appearances across all competitions.

9. Mallory Swanson

Mallory Swanson is another of the USWNT's renowned front three. The 26-year-old missed last year's World Cup through injury, but returned with a vengeance this summer as she scored three goals, including the winning goal in the final against Brazil, to help the team secure gold at the Olympic games in France. 

She currently represents the Chicago Red Stars, where she has played her club football since 2021. There, she has scored 27 goals four seasons for the NWSL club.

8. Alexandra Popp

Germany international Alexandra Popp will rightfully be hailed as one of the best forwards to ever play the game. The 33-year-old has been at Wolfsburg for more than a decade and she has scored more than 134 goals in the Frauen-Bundesliga.

Popp made her senior debut for Germany back in 2010, and is now their third all-time top goalscorer behind Heidi Mohr and Birgit Prinz. She is also their joint ninth record appearance holder alongside Doris Fitschen.

7. Sophia Smith

24-year-old Sophia Smith has represented the Portland Thorns since 2020, and she has 47 goals in 88 NWSL appearances for the club. She earned her first senior cap for the USWNT in November 2020, and has been unstoppable ever since.

Smith is also part of the USA's famous front three, and she also scored three goals to help them secure a gold medal at the Olympic Games over the summer. One of those was the winning goal against Germany at the semi-final stage.

6. Sam Kerr

It's fair to say Sam Kerr would be higher on this list if not for recent injuries. The Australia international is one of the most clinical, and recognisable, strikers in the women's game and she has so often been the difference maker for Chelsea since her arrival in 2020.

She's also burdened the weight of a nation for Australia in recent years as she's the Matilda's all-time record goalscorers. Last season, Kerr managed just four goals in eight WSL appearances, but she'll hope to put her injury woes behind her in 2024/25, and return to her unstoppable best.

5. Lauren James

In the absence of Kerr, Lauren James often carried the weight of the Chelsea team last term, despite injury problems of her own. Still only 22, James is England's most promising young talent at the moment, and is absolutely unplayable on her day.

Last season, James scored 16 goals and registered three assists across all competitions for her club, and did so in 29 appearances. Under new Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor, she will hope to take her game to another level ahead of the European Championship in Switzerland next year.

4. Salma Paralluelo

Despite being just 20 years of age, Salma Paralluelo is one of Spain and Barcelona's most important players. She joined the Catalan giants in 2022, and already has 49 goals in 66 appearances across all competitions. 

For Spain, she has so far registered 13 goals in 30 caps, and was part of their World Cup winning squad in 2023, as well as their Nations League-winning team earlier this year.

3. Alexia Putellas

Two-time Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas is showing no signs of slowing down. Despite injury problems, including an ACL, in recent years, she remains one of the world's best in her position.

The 30-year-old has scored 190 times for Barcelona since 2012, and 30 times for Spain since 2013. She has won eight league titles with Barcelona, as well as three Champions Leagues. She was also part of Spain's World Cup winning squad in 2023.

2. Caroline Graham Hansen

Caroline Graham Hansen may be one of the most underrated players of all time as, despite being outstanding for Barcelona and Norway over the years, she only received her first Ballon d'Or nomination only in 2024. 

Last season, Hansen scored 32 goals for Barcelona across all competitions, and registered 28 assists. She was absolutely integral to their domestic success, as well as their triumph in the Champions League.

1. Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw

Meet the world's best, Khadija Shaw. The 27-year-old has long been one of the most prolific goalscorers in the WSL since her arrival at Manchester City in 2021, but last season she took things to another level as she claimed the golden boot by some margin with 21 goals in 18 games.

If not for an injury at the end of the campaign, Shaw no doubt would have gone on to break Miedema and Daly's 22-goal record for a single WSL season. For Jamaica, she is not only their record appearance holder, but she has also scored the most goals for her country with 56, and she has done so in just 38 caps. 

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