How the Guardian ranked the 100 best female footballers in the world 2025 | OneFootball

After another gripping year of women’s football we are ready to launch our list of the best 100 female footballers in the world in 2025.

Our biggest ever panel includes familiar faces such as the outgoing Kansas City Current head coach Vlatko Andonovski, the new OL Lyonnes head coach, Jonatan Giráldez, and Australia’s Joe Montemurro.

But there are a whole host of new names offering their insights into this year’s list, including Arsenal’s Champions League winning head coach Renée Slegers, Canada’s Casey Stoney, the Germany assistant Maren Meinert and the man in charge of Bayern Munich’s women’s team, José Barcala.

A wide range of former players also take part for the first time and we are delighted to have Lieke Martens on the jury, the first time a former winner of the list has contributed.

Former players also include for the first time Sam Mewis, Marta Corredera, Rachel Corsie, Mercy Akide, Mana Iwabuchi and Desire Oparanozie among many others.

Their votes have been counted to determine the No 1 player of 2025 in a 12-month period which included an enthralling Euro 2025, a spectacular Copa América and a wide-open Afcon.

The countdown begins on Monday 1 December with Nos 100-71. Then, on consecutive days, we will reveal a further 30 names before the top 10 to complete this year’s list on Thursday 4 December.

The judges are listed in alphabetical order by category.

Players and coaches

Mercy Akide Former Nigeria international who won three Afcons and played at three World Cups. Was the first female African footballer of the year in 2001 and is now a coach in the USAnette Börjesson Former Sweden international who won the 1984 European Championship and is now a TV pundit in SwedenMarta Corredera Former Spain international who won six Liga F titles with Barcelona and Atlético Madrid, plus two domestic cups with ArsenalRachel Corsie Former Scotland international who played for Glasgow City, Kansas City Current and Aston Villa among othersAnouk Dekker Former Netherlands international, winning Euro 2017 in her home country and named in team of the tournamentSimphiwe Dludlu Former South Africa international captain and South Africa youth team coachIsabella Echeverri Former Colombia international who played at the 2015 World Cup and 2016 Olympics. Now a commentator for NBCJanelly Farías Former Mexico international turned TV broadcaster and commentatorNatalia Gaitán Former Colombia international who played for Sevilla, Valencia and Tigres among othersOlga García Former Spain international who won multiple domestic titles playing in SpainAndrine Hegerberg Former Norway international who won domestic honours in Norway and Italy, as well as playing in Germany and EnglandMana Iwabuchi Former Japan international who won the 2011 World Cup, as well as domestic titles in Japan and GermanyCelia Jiménez Former Spain international who played for Orlando Pride, Lyon, OL Reign and RosengårdTwila Kilgore Former USWNT interim coach and now an assistant coachLori Lindsey Former USWNT international and now an analyst

Lieke Martens Former Netherlands international with 160 caps and 62 goals. Won Euro 2017 and the top 100 in the same yearErin McLeod Former Canada international who won gold at the 2021 Olympics in TokyoSam Mewis Former USWNT player who won the World Cup and the Olympics; now editor of the Women’s Game with Men in BlazersJulie Nelson Northern Ireland’s most capped player with 130 appearances across 20 years. Played in England, Iceland and Scotland before eight years at CrusadersDesire Oparanozie Former Nigeria international who won four Afcons and was top scorer at the 2014 tournament. Played at three World Cups and captained the Super Falcons in 2019Ana Paola López Yrigoyen Former Mexico international who played for UNAM, Pachuca and Cruz AzulRikke Sevecke Former Denmark international who played for Everton and Portland Thorns among othersBianca Sierra Former Mexico internationalSissi Former Brazil international who won the Golden Boot at the 1999 World CupBrianna Visalli Former US youth international who played in the WSL and NWSL. Now an assistant coach at Stanford University

Coaches and technical staff

Johanna Almgren Kristianstad head coach and Sweden assistant head coachVlatko Andonovski Former USWNT, Reign FC and Kansas City Current head coachJosé Barcala Bayern Munich head coachBen Bate Auckland United head coachLeah Blayney Japan assistant coachShilene Booysen Fifa technical expert and former Wadi Degla head coach and assistant coach for South AfricaLisa Cole USA assistant coach and former Zambia assistant coachSabrina Eckhoff Union Berlin assistant head coachFábio Fukumoto Paraguay head coachJonathan Giráldez OL Lyonnes head coachMasaki Hemmi Lexingon SC head coachMartin Ho Tottenham Hotspur head coachLouis Hunt San Diego State University coach; formerly an assistant coach for San Diego WaveToña Is Panama head coach and formerly Pachuca and Spain Under-17 head coach, as well as a former Spain internationalAna Junyent Badalona head coachStephan Lerch Wolfsburg head coachDimitri Lipoff Al Ahly head coachPedro López Mexico head coachPedro Martínez Losa Tigres UANL head coachMaren Meinert Germany assistant head coach. Won the 2003 World Cup and three Euros as a playerAnte Milicic China head coachJoe Montemurro Australia head coachKristian Mørch Rasmussen HB Køge head coachCarmelina Moscato Al Qadsiah head coachKatrine Pedersen Denmark Under-17 head coachPablo Piñones-Arce Fiorentina head coachDenise Reddy USA assistant head coachMarko Saloranta Finland head coachGuillermo Schiltenwolf Wellington United head coachMartin Sjögren Hammarby head coachRenée Slegers Arsenal head coachKat Smith Former Western United head coachCasey Stoney Canada head coachMeskerem Tadesse Goshime Head of women’s football at CAFLene Terp Fortuna Hjørring head coachJessie van den Broek Hera United assistant head coachChris Yip-Au Seychelles head coach

Media

Abdullah Abdullah Journalist in the UAE for various outlets and an author of several booksSamuel Ahmadu Journalist in Nigeria for NigeriaFootball and SavidNewsMelanie Anzidei Journalist in the United States for The AthleticEsther Appiah-Fei Journalist in Ghana for various outlets

Natalia Astrain Broadcaster for Telemundo and former coach for USA, Spain, Barcelona and othersRomain Balland Journalist in France for various outletsAnnika Becker Journalist in Germany for Sportschau and various outletsJúlia Belas Trindade Sports communications lecturer at Swansea University and freelance journalistRoger Bennett CEO Men in BlazersGiuseppe Berardi Founder of the web magazine L Football in ItalyAlex Bishop Journalist in Japan for The Asian Game and various outletsCelia Boltes Football commentator covering domestic and international women’s football for Viaplay Sweden and Disney+Micaela Cannataro Journalist in Argentina for Diario Olé and various outletsAnna Carreau Journalist in France for RMC Sport, Eurosport and various outletsPardeep Cattry Writer at CBS Sports in the United StatesChristine Cupo Football analyst and broadcaster in the United States for CBS Sports and various other outletsSeraina Degen Journalist in Switzerland for SRF SportCheryl Downes Journalist in Australia for Beyond90Sophie Downey Journalist in the UK for various outletsSofie Engberg Munch Journalist in Denmark for TV2 SportRyan Fenix Journalist in the Philippines for GMA News OnlineAmalia Fra Journalist for as.com in SpainCarmen Höfflin Broadcaster in Germany for DaznCaleb Jephté Pierre Journalist in Haiti for various outletsMeaghen Johnson Executive producer in Canada for the NSL and former journalist for TSNHelge Kalleklev Journalist in Norway for TV2Calvin Kaumba Chikenge Freelance journalist in ZambiaMariam Kourabi Journalist in Canada for SheScoresBangers PodcastRich Laverty Journalist in the UK for various outletsSophie Lawson Women’s football expert in the UKGianluca Lia Journalist for Times of MaltaElla Lindvall Journalist at Fotbollskanalen in SwedenSolomon Manganyi Forza Football’s women’s football reporter and journalist for PindulaDavid Menayo Journalist in Spain for MarcaFirdose Moonda Sports journalist and broadcasterUnnati Naidu Journalist in India for DaznBlair Newman Women’s football analyst and scout in the UKOsasu Obayiuwana British-Nigerian journalist who has been reporting on international football and its politics for over 30 yearsRivkah op het Veld Journalist in the Netherlands for NOS SportChristina Paulos Journalist in Norway for TV 2 SportTeo Pellizzeri Journalist in Australia for 10AustraliaTiziana Pikler Journalist at web magazine L Football in ItalyAnnemarie Postma Journalist in the Netherlands for various outletsMarion Reimers Journalist, broadcaster and commentator for TNT Sports. Founder and president of VersusAmee Ruszkai Journalist in the UK for GOAL.comAlicia Soares Journalist in Brazil for Planeta Futebol and VavelCourtney Stith Journalist in the United States for CBS Sports and various outletsMegan Swanick Journalist in the United States for ESPN, the Guardian, the Women’s Game and various outletsJonathan Tannenwald Journalist at the Philadelphia InquirerMaria Tikas Journalist in Spain for Diario SportJoanna Tokarska Journalist in Poland for TVP SportAssile Toufaily Journalist for INDIVISA Arabia, based in LyonHanna Urbaniak Journalist in Poland for various outletsAmber van Lieshout Journalist in the Netherlands for Vrouwen Voetbal NieuwsAmanda Viana Commentator for CazéTV in BrazilRaffaella Volpiana Journalist in Brazil for Planeta Football and various outletsJulia Wanjeri Journalist in Kenya for JWSports1 and various outlets

Lucy Ward Broadcaster in the UK for Dazn, TNT Sports and Prime Video. Former player for Leeds UnitedClaire Watkins Journalist at Just Women’s SportAdriana Wehrens Journalist in Germany for 90minJoanna Wiśniowska Journalist at the Polish newspaper Gazeta WyborczaSuzanne Wrack Journalist in the UK for the GuardianBi Yuan Chinese journalist, football writer and consultantAyishatu Zakaria Ali Journalist in Ghana for 90min and various outletsAmanda Zaza Journalist in Sweden for Aftonbladet

Header image: [Illustration: Guardian Design]