The 100 Best Female Footballers In The World
The 100 Best Female Footballers In The World is an annual global ranking of the best female footballers. The list was started by The Offside Rule podcast in 2016. Since 2018 it has also been published in association with the British newspaper The Guardian who have published the male equivalent since its inception in 2012.
The list is voted for by a panel of experts ranging from players and coaches to journalists and broadcasters from around the world. Judges are sent a longlist of 450 footballers and asked to rank their top 40 who are given a corresponding points value. The total across all judges determines the finish position. In 2019, the panel consisted of 93 judges from 44 countries across five continents including newly-appointed USWNT and reigning NWSL champion head coach Vlatko Andonovski, and FIFA Female Player of the Century and legendary China international Sun Wen.
Winners
Top 10
As of 2019, 19 individual players have made into the "Top 10" in the Top 100 list.Lucy Bronze, Wendie Renard and Ada Hegerberg are the only players to be Top 10 selections in every Top 100 edition.
Rank | Player | Years | Club | ||
1 | ![]() | 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 | 2 | Manchester City, Lyon | 4 |
1 | ![]() | 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 | 8 | Lyon | 4 |
1 | ![]() | 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 | 1 | Lyon | 4 |
4 | ![]() | 2017, 2018, 2019 | 1 | Wolfsburg | 3 |
4 | ![]() | 2017, 2018, 2019 | 1 | Perth Glory, Sky Blue FC, Chicago Red Stars | 3 |
6 | ![]() | 2018, 2019 | 5 | Lyon | 2 |
6 | ![]() | 2018, 2019 | 5 | Lyon | 2 |
6 | ![]() | 2016, 2017 | 5 | Frankfurt, Lyon | 2 |
6 | ![]() | 2016, 2017 | 2 | Rosengård, Orlando Pride | 2 |
6 | ![]() | 2017, 2018 | 1 | Rosengård, Barcelona | 2 |
6 | ![]() | 2017, 2019 | 6 | Arsenal | 2 |
6 | ![]() | 2017, 2018 | 7 | Lyon, Orlando Pride | 2 |
6 | ![]() | 2018, 2019 | 3 | Seattle Reign | 2 |
14 | ![]() | 2016 | 3 | Bayern Munich | 1 |
14 | ![]() | 2016 | 9 | Portland Thorns | 1 |
14 | ![]() | 2019 | 7 | Washington Spirit | 1 |
14 | ![]() | 2016 | 4 | Arsenal | 1 |
14 | ![]() | 2016 | 7 | Houston Dash | 1 |
14 | ![]() | 2016 | 6 | Portland Thorns | 1 |
Overall
By nationality
As of the 2019 edition, players from 32 nations have made up the Top 100. The United States has been the most represented nation every year.Nationality is defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Rank | Nation | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | Total |
1 | ![]() | 16 | 18 | 16 | 19 | 69 |
2 | ![]() | 14 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 46 |
3 | ![]() | 12 | 6 | 9 | 10 | 37 |
4 | ![]() | 10 | 7 | 11 | 7 | 35 |
5 | ![]() | 4 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 25 |
6 | ![]() | 8 | 2 | 5 | 9 | 24 |
7 | ![]() | 6 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 21 |
8 | ![]() | 3 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 18 |
9 | ![]() | 3 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 17 |
10 | ![]() | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 16 |
11 | ![]() | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 15 |
12 | ![]() | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 11 |
13 | ![]() | 2 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 10 |
14 | ![]() | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
14 | ![]() | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
16 | ![]() | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
16 | ![]() | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
16 | ![]() | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
16 | ![]() | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
20 | ![]() | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
20 | ![]() | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
20 | ![]() | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
20 | ![]() | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
20 | ![]() | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
25 | ![]() | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
25 | ![]() | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
25 | ![]() | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
25 | ![]() | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
25 | ![]() | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
30 | ![]() | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
30 | ![]() | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
30 | ![]() | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Nationalities by continent
Continent refers to the corresponding continental confederation of the player's nationality.Rank | Confederation | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | Total |
1 | Europe | 64 | 56 | 62 | 62 | 244 |
2 | North America | 19 | 24 | 18 | 22 | 83 |
3 | Asia | 12 | 12 | 11 | 7 | 42 |
4 | South America | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 22 |
5 | Africa | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 |
6 | Oceania | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
By club
As of the 2019 edition, players playing for 66 different clubs have been selected. French club Lyon has had the most players in the Top 100 every year. Clubs are counted when a player in the Top 100 played for that team in the same calendar year they were selected. Players may have played for multiple clubs per year.Rank | Club | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | Total |
1 | ![]() | 15 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 53 |
2 | ![]() | 8 | 7 | 11 | 11 | 37 |
3 | ![]() | 7 | 7 | 5 | 8 | 27 |
4 | ![]() | 7 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 26 |
5 | ![]() | 8 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 24 |
6 | ![]() | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 21 |
7 | ![]() | 3 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 20 |
7 | ![]() | 0 | 4 | 8 | 8 | 20 |
7 | ![]() | 5 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 20 |
10 | ![]() | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 18 |
11 | ![]() | 4 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 16 |
12 | ![]() | 4 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 14 |
13 | ![]() | 2 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 13 |
14 | ![]() | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 11 |
15 | ![]() | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 10 |
15 | ![]() | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 10 |
17 | ![]() | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 9 |
17 | ![]() | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 9 |
17 | ![]() | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 9 |
20 | ![]() | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 8 |
21 | ![]() | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
22 | ![]() | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 |
23 | ![]() | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
23 | ![]() | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
25 | ![]() | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
25 | ![]() | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
25 | ![]() | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
28 | ![]() | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
28 | ![]() | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
28 | ![]() | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
28 | ![]() | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
28 | ![]() | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
28 | ![]() | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
28 | ![]() | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
28 | ![]() | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
28 | ![]() | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
37 | ![]() | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
37 | ![]() | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
37 | ![]() | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
37 | ![]() | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
37 | ![]() | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
37 | ![]() | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
37 | ![]() | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
37 | ![]() | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
37 | ![]() | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
37 | ![]() | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
37 | ![]() | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
48 | ![]() | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
48 | ![]() | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
48 | ![]() | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
48 | ![]() | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
48 | ![]() | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
48 | ![]() | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
48 | ![]() | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
48 | ![]() | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
48 | ![]() | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
48 | ![]() | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
48 | ![]() | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
48 | ![]() | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
48 | ![]() | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
48 | ![]() | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
48 | ![]() | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
48 | ![]() | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
48 | ![]() | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
48 | ![]() | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
48 | ![]() | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |