Women's soccer had a great year. The accomplishments of Barcelona are hard to overlook. They set a game's attendance record when they drew over 90k to the Camp Nou for a European match. In the 30 game season, they won 30 games. They won six of six in the competition to make it a double. They treated us to one of the most exciting and unpredictable finals in the history of the competition. It will not be remembered fondly in the capital of Catalonia. Lyon, winners of six of the previous seven European Cup finals, surprised everyone by upsetting their heavily favored opponent. Pick winners in the Women's European Championship for a chance to win $5,000. Pick your favorites.
There were some negative headlines. It has been a year of change in the NWSL. In the past year, eight teams have been accused of sexual harassment, verbal and emotional abuse, harassment and retaliation.
The victories were bigger than the game. For the first time, the United States men's and women's national teams will have equal pay under the Collective Bargaining Agreements.
It's going to get better. One of the most exciting months in women's soccer will start next week. The start of the Africa Women Cup of Nations is one of the events that will take place in July.
To celebrate a year of achievement, we present the women's rank. In order to arrive at the definitive ranking of the top 50 women's players in 2022, we surveyed 26 of the smartest people in women's soccer, from coaches to executives to journalists.
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The voting panel this year includes a former USWNT captain, a USWNT manager, a Dutch women's manager, and a director of women's football.
Considering how this introduction began, it should come as no surprise that Barcelona are at the top of the order. Lyon has a lot of representation.
The top two players in the order received 20 of 26 first place votes. Our winner consistently finished higher on the voters' ballots than the player who finished second.
After all the votes had been counted, the decline of American players was the most noticeable trend. There were 11 members of the USWNT in last year's edition. Only one of the six made our top 10. Is that indicative of a fading footballing power or a more international voter panel?
The 50 best players in women's soccer are listed below.
The best women's talent from around the world is being pulled in by the league, according to the league's leader.
The Netherlands is a country.
Club: Wolfsburg
Age: 25
Position: Midfielder
2021 Rank: Not ranked
After two years, Roord returned to German pitches, and there was nothing he couldn't do better. The role she plays and how often she can be in front of the goal make her the perfect attackingMidfielder. She has become a player who can score in the biggest matches with the flexibility of playing anywhere in the middle or attacking, and she is not afraid of the pressure to score in front of 90,000 spectators.
There is a country called Canada.
Club: Portland Thorns
Age: 39
Position: Forward
2021 Rank: Not ranked
Canada won a gold medal in the Olympics. She has scored 189 goals for Canada in her career. She wore the Portland Thorns jersey with pride as she reached 150 games in the NWSL.
There is a country called Australia.
Club: Arsenal
Age: 27
Position: Forward
2021 Rank: Not ranked
The second half of the season was great for Foord. Her production was down but her influence was still there. Foord was a constant threat and there was a lot of moving parts up front. She had four goals and three assists from 16 appearances. Foord is an important attacking option in her own right, even though her work at national team level sometimes gets overshadowed by Sam Kerr.
There is a country called England.
Club: Arsenal
Age: 25
Position: Defender
2021 Rank: Not ranked
It is necessary to carry a heavy burden in this moment. She will be the new England captain for this summer's Euros. The highlight of her career has been the task. She is a versatile player who plays both defense and a defensive role for England, and she is poised to showcase her skills as a player and a leader on the international stage this summer.
There is a country called Germany.
Club: Bayern Munich
Age: 24
Position: Forward
2021 Rank: Not ranked
They hope that one of the talents they have is able to end their bad luck at the European Championship. She scored 25% of Germany's goals. The person with the most goals in the Frauen Bundesliga was the player from the Bavarian club.
There is a country called Germany.
Club: Wolfsburg
Age: 25
Position: Forward
2021 Rank: Not ranked
Wassmuth, an accomplished goal scorer with Hoffenheim before making the switch to Wolfsburg ahead of the season, got the chance to impress in the Women's European Championship. She found her best early form in European competition, where she scored 10 goals across 11 matches, seven of which came against English opponents. Wassmuth has rounded out her game since moving to Lower Saxony but stands out for her goals; her 13 for the She Wolves was the second-best tally in the league.
There is a country called Wales.
Club: OL Reign
Age: 35
Position: Midfielder
2021 Rank: Not ranked
Fishlock is the kind of player you would love to have on your team because of her class and tenacity. The magic of Fishlock is not only her long-range shots and ability to hit the ball on a dime, it's her work rate. It was a testament to her work in the season as well as a nod to nearly 10 years of highlights that she was named the NWSL's Most Valuable Player for the season.
There is a country called Nigeria.
Club: Barcelona
Age: 27
Position: Forward
2021 Rank: 27
Oshoala is one of the best players in Africa because of her speed, strength on the ball and prolific scoring rate. She was the leading scorer in Spain's top flight this past season with 20 goals, despite spending two months out injured, and led Barcelona to yet another domestic double. Nigeria's Super Falcons had a lean patch as far as fixtures go, but Oshoala managed four international goals and will aim to add more at the Africa Women Cup of Nations.
There is a country called Scotland.
Club: Free agent
Age: 26
Position: Midfielder
2021 Rank: 25
After four years at Manchester City she is a free agent. She is set to join Real Madrid, according to the Telegraph. One of the most entertaining players in world football will be getting one of the most entertaining players in world football, someone who can fire a strike from range just as easily.
The country is France.
Club: Lyon
Age: 25
Position: Midfielder
2021 Rank: 21
She dropped 20 places from last year's rankings, but that may be more a representation of how good she was in 2020 than her performances this year. The service they needed to shine was provided by her attacks from down the wings and she was the fastest player in the league. Her decision making is second to none. She was unstoppable in the attack against Barcelona in the spring'sUWCL final. She put in a good shift after the 50 minute mark.
The country is Italy.
Club: Juventus
Age: 31
Position: Forward
2021 Rank: Not ranked
Her commitment to the club earned her a new contract in May, despite her long injury history. She was the first woman to lead women's football in Italy at the end of the season.
There is a country called Germany.
Club: Lyon
Age: 27
Position: Midfielder
2021 Rank: Not ranked
She moved from Paris Saint-Germain to play for Lyon. She won the Coup de France Feminin with Paris Saint-Germain and finished second in the league title. She scored eight league goals with nine assists, as well as bagging a goal and four assists, as Paris Saint-Germain fell to her new club in the semifinals of the European Championship. The Nationalelf will only have three international appearances in the next five years.
There is a country called England.
Club: Chelsea
Age: 28
Position: Defender
2021 Rank: Not ranked
They had to find a replacement for their stalwart Swedish captain after he was injured in December. Who would be the leader of this dynasty in the interim? Bright was the leader of the winning streak and title winning team. Her experience at one of the game's biggest clubs will calm English nerves as they attempt to deliver on lofty expectations this summer.
The United States is a country.
Club: Kansas City Current
Age: 29
Position: Midfielder
2021 Rank: 1
It's a big drop, but it can be explained by injury. The 29-year-old was supposed to be out for six to eight weeks after having knee surgery, but she will not be able to play in the tournament. She has not played since her operation. Her 92 games in the NWSL and 21 goals will help lift the Current from their position near the bottom of the table once she returns to fitness.
There was only one US player in the top 10.
The United States is a country.
Club: San Diego Wave
Age: 32
Position: Forward
2021 Rank: 38
A lot is said about the USWNT co-captain. Morgan joined the San Diego Wave of the NWSL after returning to the west coast. She scored 15 goals in 16 games and seems to be happy in California. She secured a spot in the national team for the upcoming World Cup and Olympics bid.
The country is France.
Club: Paris Saint-Germain
Age: 27
Position: Forward
2021 Rank: 36
An unpredictable attacker who refuses to be pushed off the ball, "Kady" Diani is usually found on the right side of the front three. With speed to burn, Diani's agility separates her from others in her position, as she happily weaves around defenders, turning them inside out without relinquishing the ball. Diani is one of the more creative players in the team, not scoring with the same regularity for her national side as her club team, but she is sure to enjoy the Euros.
There is a country called Canada.
Club: Chelsea
Age: 24
Position: Midfielder
2021 Rank: Not ranked
One of the strings on her accomplished bow is her ability to adapt. Fleming showed her importance for Canada at last summer's Tokyo Olympics by winning two FA Cups and the WSL title. The studious player is a natural leader on the pitch and she was on hand to convert penalties in both the semi and final in Japan.
The United States is a country.
Club: Washington Spirit
Age: 20
Position: Forward
2021 Rank: Not ranked
Rodman has become one of the most exciting young prospects in the game after one full year as a professional. Her speed and intensity are obvious, but she is at her best when she doesn't know what to do.
She was named the NWSL's rookies of the year after leading the Washington Spirit to a championship. She was locked in with a four-year contract that made her the NWSL's highest-paid player. Trinity is cutting through the hype and making a name for herself, just like her famous father, Dennis Rodman.
There is a country called Sweden.
Club: Barcelona
Age: 28
Position: Defender
2021 Rank: Not ranked
Most people didn't expect Rolfo to play left-back in the final. Maybe it's disingenuous to call her a left-back, since she managed 12 goals and 17 assists across the league, but that is where she is on the team sheet. It allows the forward ahead of her to occupy the half space inside and create problems for opponents, as well as having the Sweden international surging down the wing. One of the signings of the season has proved to be her.
There is a country called England.
Club: Barcelona
Age: 30
Position: Defender
2021 Rank: 5
This ranking is not very nice. There is a reason Barcelona signed Bronze. Her drop in our rankings can be explained by her lack of football last season as she recovered from a fifth career knee operation. She's got every chance of returning to her former glory when she returns for Euro 2022.
There is a country called Scotland.
Club: Arsenal
Age: 31
Position: Midfielder
2021 Rank: 39
Little's recent loan move from her former club to the NWSL side OL Reign will bring her back to Seattle, where she spent her formative years, and fans will hope she brings her WSL form with her, having helped push the title race down to the last day. Little, who retired from international football in 2021, was named in the team of the year after scoring six goals for the team. Lindsay du Plessis had a better shot-to- goal conversion rate than anyone else on the chart.
The country is France.
Club: Lyon
Age: 32
Position: Midfielder
2021 Rank: 16
Henry opened the scoring for Lyon against Barcelona with a long-range goal in the first game of the 21st century. Despite being dropped from the France squad, the 32-year-old got back to her best. She showed she was still capable of delivering despite being written off.
There is a country called Canada.
Club: Paris Saint-Germain
Age: 27
Position: Defender
2021 Rank: Not ranked
Lawrence was with the Canadian national team for nine years and had six years with Paris Saint-Germain. She won the French Cup for the second time in her career when she started in Paris. The 27-year-old has been crucial to the capital club's efforts to reel in Lyon in the league, winning the 2020-21 title and securing a second place finish this season.
There is a country called Australia.
Club: Lyon
Age: 22
Position: Defender
2021 Rank: Not ranked
Sam Kerr is the first name on the team sheet. The 22-year-old has proved to be a valuable member of the team, though Lyon will be hoping she doesn't get injured again. The perfect example of a modern full-back is Carpenter. She wants to return to her best for the World Cup in her home country.
There is a country called Canada.
Club: Chelsea
Age: 26
Position: Defender
2021 Rank: 33
Buchanan's season can be summed up as golden, since he won an Olympic gold medal and a women's league title. She played every second of Canada's historic gold medal run at Tokyo 2020. As Lyon returned to the top of French and European football, she was equally important. Buchanan is a good defender who can't be underestimated, especially now that the focus is on goal scoring and the like.
South Korea is located in the country.
Club: Suwon FC
Age: 31
Position: Midfielder
2021 Rank: 18
Fans of the Women's Super League were disappointed to hear that Ji was leaving to return to his hometown. Ji was always enjoyable to watch, even if you didn't want to see her dancing.
She pulled the strings to make sure the machine hummed perfectly. She has given her eight of her best years. She would give her magician a statue if it was in her hands. It's hard to see how they won't miss Ji this season, as she has helped them to each of their 11 major trophies.
There is a country called Spain.
Club: Barcelona
Age: 24
Position: Midfielder
2021 Rank: Not ranked
Guijarro is one of the least appreciated players in Barcelona's side. Her first task is to break up play and start attacks, but she has an excellent eye for a pass and is helping in the final third. She almost scored the goal of the season when she hit the bar from the halfway line.
There is a country called Sweden.
Club: Arsenal
Age: 26
Position: Forward
2021 Rank: Not ranked
Blackstenius was brought to the WSL on a free transfer from Sweden's BK Hacken, so she was able to see off a lot of competition. One of the most ruthless duos in world club football have been formed by the Swedish forward and the Belgian forward.
At the start of the year, she was the top scorer in the Swedish top flight with 17 in 21 games, and she joined the team. It's clear from her exploits for Sweden that she is a world class talent. She scored two goals against the USWNT and one against Canada in the final to help them win the silver medal. She is known for being able to break through high-pressing defenses through her own deft and tricky feet. She ended up following her football dreams, instead of pursuing a career in a sport she was good at when she was young.
The United States is a country.
Club: Lyon
Age: 28
Position: Midfielder
2021 Rank: 23
It can sometimes feel like it's not enough to call her a box-to-box player. She is a ball winner, transition defender, goal scorer, chance creator, and tough tackler. When her team isn't clicking, she can try to do everything herself, partly because she can. Since arriving in France in January, she's been the glue to keep the middle of the field intact.
They made predictions for the players to take the women's ranking in the future.
There is a country called Brazil.
Club: North Carolina Courage
Age: 30
Position: Forward
2021 Rank: 10
Debinha does it all. The Brazilian forward won the Most Valuable Player award in the NWSL Challenge Cup, where she helped the North Carolina Courage win their first title. Over the course of her international career, the 30-year-old has played more than 5,000 minutes and has been capped more than 100 times.
There is a country called England.
Club: Arsenal
Age: 27
Position: Forward
2021 Rank: Not ranked
There has been a lot of turmoil in the last year. She used the disappointment of missing out on the Olympics to her advantage, playing some of her best football to date for the two teams. She won the club's Player of the Season award despite finishing the season with eight assists and 14 goals, but she wasn't nominated for the Player of the Year award.
She can play in any of the front three positions and is good at long distance as well. Her highlight reel contains some stunning free kicks and long-range strikes, but keep an eye out for her more nuanced work. She has the ability to pick out teammates with perfectly weighted crosses while she also causes defenses to backpedal with her mazy runs that end up with unstoppable shots to the far post.
The United States is a country.
Club: OL Reign
Age: 27
Position: Midfielder
2021 Rank: 15
Lavelle dropped four spots from last year, but she is playing better soccer now. She was sometimes played out of her best position in the WSL. Laura Harvey gave her the freedom to find and impact the game when she left Manchester City to join OL Reign in the US.
Lavelle is one of the most creative players in the history of the U.S. women's national team. She shows how complete her game is on both sides of the ball by being among the top NWSL players in ball recoveries and tackles.
There is a country called Spain.
Club: Barcelona
Age: 30
Position: Defender
2021 Rank: Not ranked
Paredes joined the winning side from Paris Saint-Germain and has looked great. She was calm on the ball and Mapi Leon was more energetic. The first season in Catalonia was an excellent one, but Paredes chose to have an off day in the final.
There is a country called Spain.
Club: Barcelona
Age: 27
Position: Defender
2021 Rank: Not ranked
Leon will remove the ball from you if you blink. She is an aggressive defender who plays on the front foot, jumping forward at any chance to intercept passes. She has been at Barcelona for five years and has helped the team win three successive league titles.
There is a country called England.
Club: Manchester City
Age: 21
Position: Forward
2021 Rank: Not ranked
There will be a lot of stars at the Euros this year. You can imagine how difficult it would be for the opponent's right-back to stop her if she were to play off the left wing. She won the Young Player of the Year award for the fourth year in a row. She made the PFA WSL Team of the Year for the past two seasons, and contributed with 21 goals and 10 assists for City.
The goal she scored in the FA Cup final is one of the classics. She collected the ball on the left side of the box, cut inside past her England teammate, and then floated a shot over Anne-Katrin Berger's head. At 21 years old, it was amazing.
In April, the Man City manager said that Lauren is a top player. She has high energy and we're always looking to help her make decisions.
The Netherlands is a country.
Club: Paris Saint-Germain
Age: 29
Position: Forward
2021 Rank: 28
She was on her way to another trophy-laden season if not for a number of injuries. She couldn't be decisive again in the final because of her injured thigh. She lifted the trophy in the Supercopa Femenina, but that was the only competition she did not win. A new season and new team await her with a free transfer to Paris Saint-Germain completed, and that's why she wants to win another continental crown at the Euros.
There is a country called England.
Club: Chelsea
Age: 29
Position: Forward
2021 Rank: 12
Kirby is one of the world's most exciting forwards and capped his season with a domestic league and cup double, but the year has not been without its challenges Kirby, who has been out since February with fatigue, has been named in England's squad for this summer's Euros and will be one of their key players as they look to secure a home victory.
She is ruthless up front, equally deft on the flanks or through the middle, and finished the WSL season with the best rate of assists per 90 minutes with 0.63 and third overall for goals and assists per 90 with 1.26 She has overcome a lot of adversity in her life and that fire helps her push standards on and off the pitch.
There is a country called Sweden.
Club: Chelsea
Age: 28
Position: Defender
2021 Rank: 34
It's possible that it's because of an ankle injury that Eriksson spent three months on the sideline last season, yet still managed to climb 21 places from last year's rank. The most feared defenders in women's football were named in the FIF Pro Women's World XI. Sweden have won back-to-back Olympic silver medals and will be the team to beat this summer.
There is a country inChile.
Club: Lyon
Age: 30
Position: Goalkeeper
2021 Rank: 30
Her side romped to the title with a 3-1 win over Barcelona in the final, and Endler was the star of the show. She recorded 10 clean sheets and conceded seven goals in the French Division 1 Feminine. That was also won by Lyon. In the first four years of the 21st century, Endler's team has won three of four matches, and will look to continue that in July when they compete in the America's Cup.
The country is France.
Club: Lyon
Age: 31
Position: Defender
2021 Rank: 11
Renard had an injury at the start of the season but still led Lyon to a double. She dominated most of the big games, including the final against Barcelona and the semifinals against Paris Saint-Germain. At 31, she is not showing any signs of decline, and the charismatic leader and captain now wants a first trophy for France.
There is a country called Norway.
Club: Lyon
Age: 26
Position: Forward
2021 Rank: Not ranked
No one could have predicted that Hegerberg would be out of the sport for 21 months after she tore her knee. The attacker was dealt another blow when she fractured her tibia after returning to training.
For any player, even one at their peak, no one knows what to expect when they return after a long absence, but Hegerberg quickly fell back into step with Lyon and by November, she was back on the score. The goals began to flow as she found the rhythms and regained the partnerships with her teammates, her goal in the European Championship final a perfect demonstration of her ability in the box
After more than four years of declining national team call-ups, Hegerberg returned to the Norway fold with assurances that the country's FA was addressing her concerns that women in Norway did not receive the same opportunities. Just like with Lyon, the driven attacker quickly found the back of the net, scoring a hat trick on her return.
Aitana Bonmati believes that the women's game has changed since she was a child.
There is a country called Spain.
Club: Barcelona
Age: 24
Position: Midfielder
2021 Rank: Not ranked
Bonmati is a type of Barcelona player. She makes up for her lack of size with her skills. Her link-up play with Putellas and Guijarro is one of the best things about this Barcelona side. Some of the best teams in the game this season have been bamboozled by the one touch passing, positioning and movement.
Bonmati has grown in the final third. She scored 17 goals and provided six assists across the Spanish and European leagues.
There is a country called Spain.
Club: Pachuca
Age: 32
Position: Forward
2021 Rank: 17
Even though he didn't score as many goals as he would have liked, his numbers in the past year would still be the envy of many players. She scored 16 times as Barcelona won the league in a row and added five more as they lost to Lyon in the European Championship.
It felt like a step back for the record goal scorer after he scored 37 times in those two cups. The Spain forward faces a new challenge in Mexico. She was a free agent after her contract with Barcelona expired.
The country is France.
Club: Paris Saint-Germain
Age: 23
Position: Forward
2021 Rank: 19
Katoto became Paris Saint-Germain's all time leading goal scorer at the age of 23. She is a rangy forward who is built to score in front of the goal.
With an understanding of when to time her runs, where to make her decisive moves and how best to get the better of her opponent, there is a touch of ease to all that Katoto does. When Corinne Diacre left the forward out of France's squad for the World Cup, eyebrows were raised but he has never been gone since.
The United States is a country.
Club: Lyon
Age: 22
Position: Midfielder
2021 Rank: Not ranked
After missing out on last year's list, Macario jumped up to the sixth spot. She has been hailed as the future of the U.S. women's national team, but it looks like the future is here once she recovers from an injured knee.
In her first full season in France's top flight, she was Lyon's top scorer, scoring 23 goals in 35 matches across all competitions, including nine goals and two assists in the European competition. The USWNT won the SheBelieves Cup thanks to her breakthrough. The team will be building around Macario's talent, which means she can feature in the middle or up top.
There is a country in the country ofDenmark.
Club: Chelsea
Age: 29
Position: Forward
2021 Rank: 4
A knee injury meant that we didn't see as much of Harder as we would have liked this season, but she was in excellent form when she was on the pitch, especially towards the end of the campaign. Since last year, she has dropped one place, but her form has improved as she has settled into her role at CHELSEA. She scored against Manchester United in September. She ran down the wing and hit the ball over Mary Earps' head.
Rivals will be concerned as the two-time Women's Player of the Year is still getting better. It was disappointing that she didn't get to see more of her in the competition after her team crashed out in the group stage.
There is a country called Norway.
Club: Barcelona
Age: 27
Position: Midfielder
2021 Rank: 9
Graham Hansen was left out of all the major individual awards last season, but she climbed to fourth in the rankings after another great season at Barcelona. The majority of the goals scored by Putellas & Co. would not be possible without the help of Graham Hansen.
Before you know it, she's gone outside, reached the byline and retrieved the ball for her teammate. Her decision-making is usually second to none, thanks to her fascination with chess, and she has goals in her arsenal as well. She set up 13 goals in the division, more than any other player. The fact that Barcelona have won nine of a possible 12 trophies since she joined shows her talent and impact.
People come together to explain the brilliance of three people.
The Netherlands is a country.
Club: Arsenal
Age: 25
Position: Forward
2021 Rank: 3
Miedema is one of the best strikers of all time. She was the first player to score 100 goals in the FA Women's Super League. She averages an assist every two games and has a goal- scoring record that no one else on this earth can match. It's like a machine that never fails.
silverware in north London appears to be worth more to her than trophies at clubs like Barcelona and Lyon. She uses her platform to raise awareness of the importance of mental health.
There is a country called Australia.
Club: Chelsea
Age: 28
Position: Forward
2021 Rank: 2
When there is nothing left to write about Kerr, the Australian strikers finds new ways to impress fans and best defenses. One of the highlights of the season was the personal success of the players. She had a digital trophy case with photos of FA Cups, league titles and of player-of-the- season awards.
She became Australia's all-time leading goal scorer in what was an otherwise disappointing Asian Cup for the Matildas. She continued to find goals, make assists and trouble defenders, but this season she showed off her taste for flair and drama.
There is a country called Spain.
Club: Barcelona
Age: 28
Position: Midfielder
2021 Rank: 22
Putellas won the Ballon d'Or and was named the best women's player in the world. She leads the team on and off the field. She has replaced Lionel Messi on the advertising boards. She is the name that young girls wore on their shirts when Barcelona broke the attendance record for women's football. Her hard work is to blame.
She has grown with Barcelona over the past decade, helping them win another three trophies this season and appearing in all the big moments. She scored in both of the Camp Nou sell outs, against Real Madrid and Wolfsburg, and the goal that almost kicked off a comeback against Lyon. She scored a high number of goals from the middle of the field.
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