play0:54Has injury cost Trinity Rodman her top 10 Women’s Rank spot?Futbol W’s Cristina Alexander and Ali Krieger, along with Natalia Astrain, discuss Trinity Rodman’s slide from 8th to 37th in ESPN FC Women’s Rank.
play2:00Is Bunny Shaw underrated because of Manchester City’s lack of success?Alex Scott is joined by Lianne Sanderson, Nedum Onuoha and Fara Williams to debate whether Manchester City’s Bunny Shaw deserves to be higher in ESPN FC Women’s Rank.
play1:53Why did no USWNT players make the top 20 of ESPN FC Women’s Rank?Futbol W’s Cristina Alexander and Ali Krieger, alongside Natalia Astrain, discuss Emily Fox as the highest-ranked USWNT player in ESPN FC Women’s Rank.
play1:59Why Fara Williams believes Alessia Russo deserved the top spotFara Williams explains why she thinks Alessia Russo should have been No. 1 in ESPN FC Women’s Rank.
play0:55Krieger: Women’s Rank winner Aitana Bonmati a ‘generational player’Futbol W’s Ali Krieger explains why Aitanna Bonmati had to be No. 1 for the third year in a row in ESPN FC Women’s Rank.
Aitana Bonmatí ‘grateful’ to win ESPN FC Women’s Rank (1:28)Aitana Bonmatí reacts to her No. 1 ranking on 2025 ESPN FC Women’s Rank. (1:28)
Has injury cost Trinity Rodman her top 10 Women’s Rank spot?Futbol W’s Cristina Alexander and Ali Krieger, along with Natalia Astrain, discuss Trinity Rodman’s slide from 8th to 37th in ESPN FC Women’s Rank.
Futbol W’s Cristina Alexander and Ali Krieger, along with Natalia Astrain, discuss Trinity Rodman’s slide from 8th to 37th in ESPN FC Women’s Rank.
Is Bunny Shaw underrated because of Manchester City’s lack of success?Alex Scott is joined by Lianne Sanderson, Nedum Onuoha and Fara Williams to debate whether Manchester City’s Bunny Shaw deserves to be higher in ESPN FC Women’s Rank.
Alex Scott is joined by Lianne Sanderson, Nedum Onuoha and Fara Williams to debate whether Manchester City’s Bunny Shaw deserves to be higher in ESPN FC Women’s Rank.
Why did no USWNT players make the top 20 of ESPN FC Women’s Rank?Futbol W’s Cristina Alexander and Ali Krieger, alongside Natalia Astrain, discuss Emily Fox as the highest-ranked USWNT player in ESPN FC Women’s Rank.
Futbol W’s Cristina Alexander and Ali Krieger, alongside Natalia Astrain, discuss Emily Fox as the highest-ranked USWNT player in ESPN FC Women’s Rank.
Why Fara Williams believes Alessia Russo deserved the top spotFara Williams explains why she thinks Alessia Russo should have been No. 1 in ESPN FC Women’s Rank.
Krieger: Women’s Rank winner Aitana Bonmati a ‘generational player’Futbol W’s Ali Krieger explains why Aitanna Bonmati had to be No. 1 for the third year in a row in ESPN FC Women’s Rank.
Futbol W’s Ali Krieger explains why Aitanna Bonmati had to be No. 1 for the third year in a row in ESPN FC Women’s Rank.
It’s that time of year again: Let’s look at the past 12 months in women’s soccer and pick the best of the best. It’s now our fifth year of polling experts and putting together a list of the top 50 players in the world for ESPN FC Women’s Rank, and it only gets more competitive each year.
The list this year reflects how much the landscape in the sport keeps changing. Fourteen players made their debuts on our top 50, seven have landed back on the list after missing out last year, and the race for the top spot was probably closer than you think.
The marquee event of the past year was the UEFA Women’s Euro in Switzerland, which set new attendance records and the most goals ever scored for the tournament. It served up a thrilling rematch of the 2023 World Cup final between England and Spain, only this time it was England who came out on top after going to penalty kicks.
The UEFA Champions League trophy earlier this year was finally wrestled from powerhouses Barcelona and Lyonnes, who have combined to win the nine prior European titles. Instead, Arsenal were the surprise winners, marking the first Champions League win for an English team since 2007. (The 2025-26 UWCL season is underway in the league phase, and again Barcelona and Lyonnes are being chased.)
In the U.S., Gotham FC repeated as NWSL champions as the landscape around the American league expanded. The USL Super League completed its inaugural season with Tampa Bay Sun FC becoming the league’s first champion, and north of the border the Northern Super League made its debut.
The women’s game is rapidly growing, which made narrowing down ESPN FC Women’s Rank to 50 names harder than ever before, even after the absences of players from last year’s ranking cleared some space. Notably absent this year: Naomi Girma (No. 2 last year; injured most of this year), Sophia Wilson (No. 5 last year; pregnant this year), Lauren James (No. 10 last year; injured much of this year); and Mallory Swanson (No. 15 last year, pregnant this year).
Twenty-five current and former coaches for top-tier clubs or national teams, general managers, analysts and journalists were asked to anonymously pick their top 50 players of 2025. In all, 198 different players earned votes, and this is the final top 50.
Written by Emily Keogh, Jeff Kassouf, Yash Thakur, Tom Hamilton and Sam Marsden. All stats provided by ESPN Global Research.
Smith is a fine dribbler and can create goals out of nothing, while she ranks fifth in the WSL for shot-creating actions per 90 minutes (4.95). Her impact is impossible to ignore, and her rapid rise made her one of the most sought-after talents in the league. — Keogh
Stat to know: Her eight goals and 42 shots (14 on target) this calendar year in the Women’s Super League leads these offensive categories among all players 21 years old or younger.
Peak Debinha returned in 2025, and she was a major reason why the Kansas City Current smashed NWSL records. Now 34, Debinha was one of the focal points of the Current’s attack even while dealing with some minor injuries.
She continues to reinvent herself weekly as she shifts from a forward role to attacking midfield and wider areas. The Brazilian is precise on free kicks, clinical on the counterattack and has the vision to do the unthinkable. — Kassouf
Stat to know: Debinha has 2.03 goals above expected, the seventh highest mark in the NWSL this season. Of the six players with a higher GAE than her, only Esther Gonzales (0.15) had a higher xG per shot than Debinha (0.14).
Country: Australia Club: Arsenal Age: 31 Position: Center back/fullback 2024 Rank: N/A (★ reentry)
Catley played a vital role in Arsenal’s defensive resilience last season and ranked in the club’s top four for total passes completed (1,118). Although not her preferred position, she transitioned to center back from left back early in the season, where her composure under pressure, precision in tackles and clearances, and her ability to read the game, elevated Arsenal’s back line throughout their European run.
That consistency and adaptability ultimately earned her a Ballon d’Or nomination, a spot on our list and widespread global recognition for outstanding defensive performances. — Keogh
Stat to know: She is the only player in this calendar year with zero errors leading to shot and goals in the Women’s Super League.
Chawinga has continued to impress after moving to OL Lyonnes from Wuhan Jianghan University, after a series of loan spells, in the summer of 2024. And she now leads the goal contributions chart for OL Lyonnes in the league, with four goals and three assists this season.
The Malawi winger is excellent in transitions — she ranked second for progressive carries in the French top division last season, with 56 — and in 1-v-1 situations, often beating her opponents with her pace and skill. She will be a key figure for her country’s first-ever Women’s AFCON next year. — Thakur
Stat to know: She is second in the Première Ligue season in goal contributions with nine (six goals and three assists).
Big-spending Chelsea boast one of the most stacked squads in Europe, but while Cuthbert doesn’t take many headlines, she has shown time and again that she is the heartbeat of the club’s midfield. Her level of commitment and work rate is incredible; few players show such unwavering loyalty, and even fewer are willing to hurl themselves into tackles and duels to ensure their side emerges on top.
Even on days when Chelsea underperform, Cuthbert often remains one of the highest-rated players on the pitch, with her consistency and resilience rarely shaken. Having played a pivotal role in the treble-winning season — as well as in every title-winning campaign that preceded it — the Scotland international is undeniably one of the best midfielders in the WSL. — Keogh
Stat to know: Her 6.6 recoveries per game is the third most among midfielders in this Women’s Super League. She also created 15 chances and 1.99 expected assists this season — both are the second most among midfielders.
One of the most valuable and underrated players in the game, the 35-year-old has been a stalwart for Arsenal and helped guide the club to their first UEFA Women’s Champions League triumph in 18 years.
As captain, she is the central cog in the Gunners’ engine room in midfield, able to dictate tempo, shape transitions and ensure tactical cohesion. Although often described as a quiet, understated leader, her influence is visible in both her composure — she ranks second this season for pass completion, 89.5% — and work rate. Without Little’s consistency, intelligence and unwavering presence, Arsenal would not have progressed as far as they did last season. — Keogh
Stat to know: Her 64.9% duel success percentage and her 90.4% pass success percentage were both the highest among midfielders with at least 20 games played in the 2024-25 Women’s Super League.
Harder is back to her best after a series of injury worries. The 33-year-old is key in the final third and led Bayern for goals (14) last season, helping them clinch back-to-back league titles, while she hit double digits in the league for the first time since the 2020-21 season.
The Denmark captain also works hard off the ball — she ranked in the top five for touches in the opposition penalty box (113) and tackles in the final third (14) in the Frauen-Bundesliga last season — has an innate understanding of space, and can progress up field quickly when possession is regained. Her strong performances earned her a deserved Ballon d’Or nomination this year. — Thakur