The best women's players in the world - ranked

Women's football has become more competitive than ever over the past few years.

Recent tournaments and competitions, both at international and domestic level, have shone a spotlight on the women's game, with Europe now the home turf for the majority of the planet's most exceptional talents.

Barcelona, Chelsea and Manchester City are just three of the giants that boast some of the world's most incredible technicians, but the gap between the elite and the rest of the pack is swiftly closing.

Here are the best women's footballers out there - ranked.

25. Lauren Hemp

Relentless is the word that most epitomises Lauren Hemp, with the tenacious Manchester City forward simply tireless in the opposition half. Pressing and harrying from first minute to last, the Lioness has the technical quality to match her energetic disposition.

Man City's inability to usurp Chelsea in the Women's Super League means that her trophy cabinet is sparser than it ought to be, but she was a key member of the England squad that reached the 2023 World Cup final and were crowned European champions the year prior.

24. Mary Earps

Mary Earps justifiably grabs the title of the world's best goalkeeper, with the former Manchester United shot-stopper having traded the WSL for Paris Saint-Germain - on a free transfer no less. An excellent piece of business for the French outfit, she will undoubtedly sparkle in the Premiere Ligue.

Famed for barking orders at the back and pulling off remarkable saves, Earps finished her Man Utd career with an FA Cup trophy at then end of the 2023/24 season. For her excellent displays with England, she also claimed the 2023 BBC Sports Personality of the Year award, saving a penalty in the World Cup final defeat to Spain.

23. Katie McCabe

A loyal Arsenal servant for almost a decade now, Katie McCabe has blossomed into one of the world's best full-backs. Capable of playing as a traditional left-back or as an inverted right-back, the Ireland star has also shown immense flexibility when operating as part of the forward line as well.

McCabe has twice been named Arsenal's Player of the Season as she stockpiles silverware in north London, including an FA Cup triumph and a WSL title.

22. Alessia Russo

Alessia Russo has had the knack for scoring goals wherever she has travelled, whether it be at Brighton, Man Utd, Arsenal or for England. A great physical presence up top, the striker hammered home four goals en route to the Lionesses' Euro 2022 crown, adding another three at the most recent World Cup.

Having traded Manchester for north London in 2023, Russo took no time adjusting to her new surroundings. 16 strikes in 31 appearances during her debut campaign with Arsenal was mighty impressive, with plenty more to come.

21. Ona Batlle

After catching the eye with Man Utd in the WSL, Ona Batlle returned to Barcelona in 2023. She had risen through the club's academy before being sold to Madrid CFF, with the right-back swiftly showing the Catalan giants what they had been missing since her exit.

Having solidified her spot on the right-hand side of defence, Batlle helped Barca achieve an astounding quadruple of trophies in 2023/24, crowned by lifting the Champions League. Oh, she's a World Cup winner, too.

20. Ewa Pajor

Not many players have scored and assisted in a Champions League final and finished on the losing team. Unfortunately for Polish striker Ewa Pajor, she lived that reality in 2022/23 as Wolfsburg surrendered a two-goal lead to Barcelona in the showpiece event.

However, the goal-getter hasn't let that adversity slow her down, providing 18 goals in 19 matches with Wolfsburg in the 2023/24 Frauen-Bundesliga and subsequently claiming the Golden Boot. She has now taken her immense quality to old foes Barcelona following her £426,000 switch.

19. Lucy Bronze

To have played for Lyon, Man City, Barcelona and now Chelsea, you have to be pretty special. Lucy Bronze is exactly that, with success following her across the continent for club and country.

The indefatigable right-back is as adept in the opposition half as she is in her own penalty area, something exemplified by her five Champions League, three Premiere Ligue and two Liga F titles.

18. Caroline Graham Hansen

Silky, stylish and technically gifted, Caroline Graham Hansen is everything a Barcelona winger should be. After five seasons of joy with Wolfsburg, the Norwegian made the move to Catalonia, for which she has been thoroughly rewarded.

She has won the Liga F title in her first five campaigns with Barca and three Champions League crowns, with 2023/24 her best goalscoring season. She produced a truly remarkable 21 goals and 19 assists in just 25 league appearances, claiming the Golden Boot in the process.

17. Lena Oberdorf

One of the finest midfielders on the planet, Lena Oberdorf has been sensational for club and country over recent seasons. While an all-important Champions League title has evaded her, there is plenty of time for her to conquer the continent given she is still in the early stages of her career.

Having made the move to Bayern Munich in 2024, Oberdorf will be aiming to continue her outstanding development in her homeland. The former Wolfsburg star will be eyeing up international success too in the near future having come so close at Euro 2022 with Germany - she won the Young Player of the Tournament despite losing in the final to England.

16. Vivianne Miedema

Arsenal stunned the football world by opting against offering Vivianne Miedema a new deal at the end of her contract in 2024. The Dutch striker has scored 125 goals in 172 appearances for the WSL giants, even if serious injuries have limited her impact over the past few years.

Arsenal may live to regret their decision to let her go given she has now joined rivals Manchester City, with Miedema potentially forming an utterly lethal partnership with Khadija Shaw up front. Even as a rotation option for the Cityzens, the powerful centre-forward is an exceptional asset.

15. Sophia Smith

One of the few elite women's footballers operating outside Europe, Sophia Smith has earned her spot in this list off the back of some amazing performances in the United States. Representing Portland Thorns, the forward's speed and agility have made her unstoppable in the National Women's Soccer League.

Her performances for the USWNT have been superb as well, with three SheBelieves Cups, one CONCACAF Women's Championship and one Gold Cup under her belt.

14. Jenni Hermoso

The veteran has endured a traumatic period after her World Cup triumph with Spain. Following Luis Rubiales' unsolicited kiss in the aftermath, she has conducted herself with immense dignity.

On the pitch, she has also served as an inspiration. Now plying her trade in Mexico with Tigres, the forward provided three goals en route to World Cup glory for Spain, and has been a relentless goalscorer wherever she has travelled.

13. Rachel Daly

Strikers are a very specific breed but it speaks to Rachel Daly's character that she has been willing to play at left-back for England despite her immense goalscoring record with Aston Villa. While now retired from international football, she was key to the Lionesses' recent success.

The scrappy striker spent most of her career in the United States but is now lighting up the WSL. During her first season with Villa, she bagged 22 times in as many matches in the top flight, securing the Golden Boot despite not playing for one of the division's behemoths.

12. Kadidiatou Diani

Kadidiatou has spent her entire career in France to date, with most of her experience coming in the French capital for Paris FC and PSG. Her 2023 move to Lyon almost saw her claim her first Champions League title, finishing the 2023/24 competition as top scorer with eight goals.

Her strikes fired Lyon to the final, but Diani was unable to get the better of a staunch Barcelona defence on the night as the French side fell to a 2-0 defeat.

11. Olga Carmona

Olga Carmona has had quite the meteoric rise to prominence over the past few years, helped enormously by her heroics at the 2023 World Cup. The left-back produced winning goals in both the semi-final and final, with her father having sadly passed away just two days before the showpiece event with England.

The Real Madrid star has now established herself as one of the world's sharpest defenders and has frequently showcased her attacking capabilities, with six goals in Liga F in 2023/24.

10. Linda Caicedo

The fact that Linda Caicedo has achieved all she has at such a young age is testament to her character. She is surely only going to improve drastically in the coming years, which is a frightening prospect for defences across Europe.

Off the back of an exceptional 2023 World Cup campaign with Colombia, scoring the Goal of the Tournament, Real Madrid knew that they had made the right decision by agreeing a deal with the teenager several months earlier.

9. Lauren James

Not many players boast such a perfect blend of power and grace as Chelsea ace Lauren James. The young forward enjoyed a particularly outstanding 2023/24 campaign with the Blues, netting 13 goals in 16 WSL games as she claimed a third league title.

While she missed out on Euro 2022 with England, she did help the Lionesses to the final of the World Cup a year later - even if her sending off against Nigeria almost proved costly.

Her temper has overpowered her at times throughout her career, but she more than makes amends with her technical prowess and ability to produce a thunderous strike.

8. Keira Walsh

Arguably women's football's most gifted passer, Keira Walsh set the world record transfer fee in 2022 when she made the £400,000 move from Man City to Barcelona. Such a hefty fee has been justified since her switch, and now looks a bargain price.

The defensive midfielder has won back-to-back Liga F and Champions League titles, making up part of the world's most devastating midfield trio in Catalonia.

The balance she offers between defence and attack has been key for England too, with Walsh named in the Team of the Tournament during a successful Euro 2022 campaign.

7. Fridolina Rolfo

Fridolina Rolfo owns the left flank. Whether as a left-back with Barcelona or as a winger with Sweden, the former Wolfsburg star has dominated that area of the pitch for a number of years, swiftly building a formidable trophy cabinet bursting at the hinges.

While she has fond memories of her time at Wolfsburg, the German club may not yet have forgiven her for scoring the winning goal for Barcelona in the Champions League final against them in 2022/23.

She helped Barca defend their crown the following campaign, too.

6. Mapi Leon

Barcelona may boast the most frightening cohort of forward-thinking players in women's football, but their success would have been limited without Mapi Leon orchestrating the backline. The defiant centre-back is the perfect modern defender.

Capable of matching even the most physical forwards, driving forward from deep and breaking the lines with her excellent passing range, it's no wonder Barca's defensive record is so impressive. The Spanish star has been key to the European champions since her 2017 arrival.

5. Alexandra Popp

Wolfsburg's all-conquering side of the past decade has been dismantled over recent years, but one constant has been Alexandra Popp. The centre-forward has now spent over a decade with the German giants, blossoming into a truly special striker.

Defenders struggle to match her intensity and athleticism, with no forward more deadly when the ball is swung into the penalty area. She may be reaching the end of her career, but she can still compete with the best around.

19 trophies with Wolfsburg isn't bad either.

4. Salma Paralluelo

Salma Paralluelo has more or less completed football already, which is astounding given she only made her senior debut during the 2019/20 season. The tall and speedy forward has taken her game up several gears since joining Barcelona in 2022, and she is yet to even reach her full potential.

31 goals in 37 Liga F games in her first two seasons tells its own story, with Paralluelo a relentless goal-getter and provider. Playing alongside some of the world's best and most complete footballers, she doesn't look remotely out of place despite her age.

3. Sam Kerr

Chelsea pulled off a major coup by attracting Sam Kerr to west London in 2020, with the Australian dynamo having continued her incredible goalscoring form since moving to England. 41 goals in 42 WSL matches across her first two full seasons is not too shabby.

While an ACL tear kept her out for the majority of the 2023/24 campaign, she has now penned a new deal with the Blues that will keep her at the club until 2026. WSL defences, beware.

2. Khadija Shaw

Khadija Shaw arrived at Man City off the back of some impressive goalscoring returns with Bordeaux and the Jamaica international has reached incredible heights over the past few seasons. She now lays claim to the title of the best striker in women's football.

Her 2023/24 tally speaks volumes, with the imposing 6'0 centre-forward notching 21 goals in 18 WSL games - one more than her 2022/23 tally. She won the Golden Boot as Man City pushed Chelsea all the way in the title race and it may not be long until she finally gets her hands on the trophy.

1. Aitana Bonmati

Elegant, graceful, tenacious - Aitana Bonmati is an irrepressible force. The 2023 Ballon d'or winner was named Player of the Tournament as Spain won the World Cup, following her international success up with another Champions League title with Barca - scoring in the final against Lyon.

The midfielder is such a joyous presence on the pitch and one which is impossible to ignore, leading by example in the engine room with her exquisite passing, gliding runs and goalscoring tendencies.

There is no better player than the Spanish icon right now and that's not even up for debate.

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