It is difficult to pick just 15 of the best women footballers who have ever graced a pitch. In fact, with women’s football having only been around for about 30 years or so, it has not yet reached its zenith in terms of quality and length of time. However, some well-known names show that the sport can be an equal-opportunity game as they/we all know these players are captivating on and off the field.
The following are the best women footballers of all time. Many of them also go on to coach kids once they retire from their careers and make it very clear that women should be given the same opportunities that men get in the world of football (or any other sport for that matter). They are role models for girls around the world and encourage them to engage in sports at an early age.
Here are some of the best women footballers of all time:
Alexia Putellas
She's arguably one of the best female football players of all time. She is a member of the Barcelona squad that won the women's champions league in the 2021/2022 season. Her playing style is characterized by good technique, vision and technically superb finishing.
She started her professional football career in Barcelona and was awarded the best female football player winning the Ballon d'Or Feminin, FIFA best women's player and the UEFA Women's Player of the year.
Sam Kerr
Kerr was a regular for the Australian team at the 2012 London Olympics and was named the best player in the tournament. Her high-paced, attacking style of play has earned her a place on the FIFA world team of the year together with teammates Lisa De Vanna and Kyah Simon.
She currently plays for Chelsea Football Club women and she was one of the leading marksmen of the previously concluded 2021/2022 campaign. She was also in line to win the Ballon d'Or Feminin alongside winner Alexia Putellas and with reason, she is arguably one of the best women footballers to have ever graced the pitch.
Kyah Simon
Kyah Simon is one of Australia's leading female players. She played an important role in helping Australia qualify for the 2015 FIFA women's World Cup. In 2010 she was awarded best player in Oceania Football Confederation Championship and only two years later she was also awarded best female Australian representative at Asian Cup 2011.
Simon plays for Sydney FC, and in 2012 she was named the best female player in Australian football. Her blistering pace and ability to dribble past opponents make Kyah Simon one of the best women football players of her generation.
Laura Bassett
Laura Bassett was born on July 26, 1983. She's retired as a defender for Chelsea F.C. and has come through the ranks at the club to become one of the senior players in their squad. She was also a member of the England team that won the silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics games with future expectations high she was maintained in the squad for the 2015 FIFA Women's that were to be held in Germany.
Aitana Bonmati
Aitana is a professional Spanish female footballer who plays as a midfielder for FC Barcelona Femeni and the Spanish women's national team. She was named the best player at Euro 2009 and she was also a main part of the under 17's team at the UEFA youth tournament where Spain finished as runner-up. Her playing style is characterized by her ability to quickly turn defence into attack.
Marie-Antoinette Katoto
Due to her speed, good dribble and excellent ball control, opponents find it very difficult to stop her from attacking goals in a very effective manner. In 2012, she signed with Paris Saint Germain after a few years of playing developmental football in France, some would say that she is one of the best female footballers of all time.
Catarina Macario
She is an American female footballer born in Brazil and she plays for Lyon in the French female division 1 Féminine. In 2019, Macario was the leading goal contributor in the UEFA Women's Championship where Brazil played against France. She joined Lyon in January 2021 and led them to their first victory in her debut game against Montpellier Herault.
She was a key player at Stanford University during her university years. She is an excellent dribbler who uses her speed and skills for scoring goals for her team, providing assists as well as defending her own goal.
Vivianne Miedema
She is a Dutch international footballer whose father was once a professional football player and she has five siblings. At the age of 16, Miedema joined her first club, HFC Haarlem. In 2010, at 17 years of age, she scored her first goal in the KNVB Women's Cup final match against SC Heerenveen.
In 2011, at 18 years of age, Miedema made her debut for the Dutch national team and was named UEFA Women's Champions League Young Player of the Year in 2014 as well as being nominated for the FIFA Women's World Player of the Year Award 2015. She is currently contracted with the English club Arsenal Fc Women.
Alex Morgan
Alexis 'Alex' Morgan is an American soccer player and Olympian who plays for the Orlando Pride in the National Women's Soccer League. She was named U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year in 2012, 2013, and 2014, arguably aiding her in being one of the best female footballers of all time.
Alexandra Patricia Morgan Carrasco was born on July 2, 1989, to a family of football players. She acquired Spanish nationality by marriage to fellow football player Servando Carrasco in 2014 and as such is sometimes referred to as 'Alexandra Morgan-Carrasco'.
She also played a key part in the US National Women's team's win in the Women's world cup and she also won the silver boot for the highest goals scored in the competition.
Megan Rapinoe
Megan Rapinoe is an American soccer player who plays as a midfielder and forwards for the United States National Team. She played college soccer at the University of Portland and she was a member of the Bay Area's 2006, 2007 and 2008 championships teams which were all NCAA Tournament Champions.
The highlight of her career in her college soccer days occurred when she became the first American to score three goals in a match since 1996 and she also became only the third player in CONCACAF history to score two hat tricks against Mexico. She is also regarded as one of the best female footballers of all time.
Fran Kirby
Fran Kirby is an English football player who plays for Chelsea and she is the current captain of the England women's national team. She was named PFA Players' Player of the Year in 2017 and 2018, proving once again that she is one of the best female footballers ever. Fran Cristine Kirby was born on 19 December 1992 in Reading, Berkshire to a family of Irish descent with her younger brother named Jack also of English nationality. Fran Kirby signed with Chelsea in 2014 after spending her time at various clubs and she immediately impressed Chelsea coach Emma Hayes enough to be a starter right from that moment onwards leading to many comparisons to Frank Lampard whom she says has inspired her very much.
Wendie Renard
Wendie Renard is a French international women's association football defender and the captain of Olympique Lyonnais Feminin. She was born into a family of football players and she is known for her ability to read the game and organize her teammates on the pitch.
She is a very nimble player who is good with both feet and she also has outstanding positional awareness putting her among the best women footballers of all time in her defensive position.
Renard made her debut for France's national team in 2010 but it wasn't until 2012 that she was selected to be part of France's squad that won the UEFA Women's Euro in 2013. In 2016, Renard led France to win their first-ever Olympic football gold medal in their history at the 2016 Rio Olympics games.
Debinha
Debinha is a Brazilian footballer who plays for American National Women's Soccer League club Orlando Pride. She is an attacking midfielder and currently the team's vice-captain. Debinha's talents were noted at a very young age as she played for Brazil as a 14-year-old and then got scouted by Lyon which allowed her to travel to Europe where she stayed until 2015.
Due to her excellent skills, fast speed, stamina and stamina, Debinha was finally signed by North Carolina Courage in 2017 together with compatriot Marta who had also previously played for Lyon.
Lena Oberdorf
Lena Oberdorf is a German footballer who plays for Vfl Wolfsburg as a winger. She was born in 1995 and she began her football career at VfB Stuttgart and Augsburg before being signed by SGS Essen in 2018.
Oberdorf made her debut for SGS senior team on the opening day of the 2012–13 season and she ended up making 36 appearances for the club, scoring 13 goals over three years. In 2020, Oberdorf moved to Vfl Wolfsburg where she has continued to be an important part of the team's playstyle as one of their best players to date.
Caroline Graham-Hansen
Caroline Graham-Hansen is a Norwegian footballer who plays as a defender for Glasgow City. She has been part of Scotland's national football team since 2010 and she won UEFA Women's Euro 2013 and 2015 with her team and also the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in 2014 where she was named both Players' Player of the Year as well as Match Official of the Year for her efficient playing.
Graham-Hansen was born to parents who are both footballers at home in Scotland – her father is a football fan who used to watch his son practice – hence leading her to want to play the sport too. She joined Glasgow City at age 9 and she was one of the best players in their first two seasons together.
Conclusion
These are just but a few of the best female footballers ever as there are many more who are still currently active and we would be glad to update this list with any new additions. The sport is growing in popularity every other day and the best female footballers are getting the recognition they deserve which means a promising future for them and those who will follow in their footsteps.
There is no specific date that has been set for women in football to become as popular as men's football but we can only hope that it will be sooner rather than later. There were times when women were not considered part of the game but thankfully that does not apply anymore.
FAQs
What is the association name of female football?
The name of the association is the Women Football Association(WFA)
Are there any female football players in India?
Yes, There are female football players in India too.