The year 2023 will see the FIFA Women’s World Cup held in New Zealand and Australia; the first edition of the FIFA women’s World Cup will have 32 countries participate, the biggest number of participants in the competition.
This means that, for sure, the best female soccer players would be on display in the tournament; similarly, unknown female soccer players would emerge.
In this article, we will be profiling the best female soccer players in the world as of 2023. We will be looking at their accomplishments, playing style, dive into their playing style, examine their strengths and weaknesses on the field, and how they contribute to their team’s success.
Having said all of that, let’s take a look at the ten best female soccer players to look out for in 2023.
1. Alexia Putellas – Barcelona & Spain
Hardly is there anyone who hasn’t heard of Alexia Putellas, the Barcelona women’s team captain and the first female player to win two consecutive Ballon d’Or.
In addition to that, she won the FIFA Best Women’s player in 2022; the diminutive forward player suffered an ACL injury just before Spain’s opening game at the UEFA Women’s Euros in 2022.
However, she is in the race against time to be fit enough for the FIFA women’s World Cup in the summer of 2023. A long injury break doesn’t drop his rank as one of the best female players in the world
2. Aitana Bonmatí – Barcelona & Spain
There is a reason why Spanish female football is on the rise and why the Barcelona women’s team has been one of the best woman’s club sides in the world in the last three years.
One of them is the array of stars and quality players on the team; Aitana Bonmati is one of them. Bonmati was a nominee for the 2022 Ballon d’Or award and also made the official team of the tournament for UEFA Women’s EURO 2022.
In the current season, she has scored five goals in six UEFA Women’s Champions League games, and injury permitting, she’ll be one to look forward to at the women’s World Cup.
3. Alex Morgan – San Diego Wave & USA
Even at 33, Alex Morgan is still one big female footballer to reckon with, having scored 16 goals in 19 NWSL matches this year and winning the 2022 CONCACAF women’s championship this year with the US women’s national team.
Alex Morgan is already one of the best women’s soccer players of all time.
The joint top scorer at the CONCACAF women’s championship in 2022 has over 200 appearances for the US women’s national team scoring 119 times.
She is expected to play her final FIFA women’s World Cup in 2023, and should the US win it, it will be her third World Cup medal.
4. Beth Mead – Arsenal & England
Beth Mead is the all-time most assists and all-time second-most goal contributions record in the WSL.
She was instrumental in England winning UEFA Women’s Euros championship in 2022, as she finished the competition as the top scorer and the tournament player.
She finished second in the Ballon d’Or award in 2022 and is expected to do more as the English Women’s national team hopes to win their first FIFA women’s World Cup. At 27, she still has a lot to offer women’s football.
5. Fridolina Rolfö – Barcelona & Sweden
29-year-old Fridolina Rolfo has managed to put some big teams on her CV, including Bayern Munich and Wolfsburg, before joining Barcelona in 2021.
The Swedish forward already has three goals and three assists in the Liga femenina this season and was part of the Swedish side that got to the semifinals of the UEFA Women’s Euro Championship. She also scored nine times as Barcelona went on to win Liga femenina last season.
6. Caroline Graham Hansen – Barcelona & Norway
Caroline Hansen scored six goals and 14 assists last season as Barcelona again went on to win La Liga. It was more remarkable for Hansen as she came back from a health problem.
Her performances for Norway didn’t help much at the UEFA Women’s Euros championship last year. The 27-year-old has had 44 goals in 97 matches since 2011 for the national team.
7. Lucy Bronze – Barcelona & England
Lucy Bronze is already a high-profile female footballer, but she continues to stay at the top level of the game, having won the UEFA women’s championship with the Lionesses’ European Championship-winning side.
She is regarded as one of the best defenders in women’s soccer at the moment.
Bronze joined Barcelona in the summer of 2022 and is expected to continue at the Catalonia club.
The 31-year-old has previously played for Manchester City, Liverpool, and Lyon in her illustrious career.
8. Ada Hegerberg – Lyon & Norway
Former female Ballon d’Or winner and Norwegian forward Ada Hegerberg is still very much relevant in the scope of your football and can hardly be listed out of the top 10 female footballers at the moment.
She was part of the Olympic Lyon side that lost in the UEFA women’s Champions League final in Turin the last season against Barcelona. She won the French League title with Olympic Lyon last season, which is her 15th league title in 16 seasons.
9. Asisat Oshoala – Barcelona & Nigeria
Last season Asisat Oshoala played a huge role as Barcelona went on to win the La Liga femenina and the UEFA women’s Champions League.
The Nigerian striker scored 20 goals in 19 La Liga games and also managed a couple in the UEFA Champions League, scoring four goals in nine matches.
This season she already has four in five years for Women’s Champions League and 18 goals in 18 in La Liga feminine matches, which includes an astonishing three hattricks in the last four games.
Asisat is considered as one of the top strikers in women’s soccer in the world.
10. Vivianne Miedema – Arsenal & Netherlands
Dutch forward Vivianne Miedema is a big bag of goals; the 26-year-old is one of the stars of the Netherlands’ golden generation of female footballers.
The Netherlands won the 2017 Women’s Euros championship, and Miedema won the silver boot in the competition and helped the team to the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup and was named as part of the tournament team.
The 26-year-old plays for Arsenal women in the Women’s Super League in England and has four goals and an assist this season in eight league games.
11. Ella Toone — Manchester United & England
Ella Toone currently plays as a forward for Women’s Super League club Manchester United and England.
Toone, who recently signed a contract extension until June 2026 to remain at Manchester United, has been impressive for them.
Her goal in the final of the European Championship gave England the lead against Germany in the 62nd minute. England won 2–1 in extra-time and lifted the title.
The 23-year-old is one of the best female soccer players in the world today.
12. Fran Kirby — Chelsea & England
Just like former English midfielder Frank Lampard, Fran Kirby is Chelsea’s all-time top scorer despite being an attacking midfielder.
Kirby hasn’t put a foot wrong ever since she emerged into the soccer scene.
The midfielder scored twice for the Lionesses in their emphatic Euros triumph while also providing three assists all tournament.
Kirby has also been terrific at club level in the 2022-23 season, with 9 goals in all competitions.
13. Bia Zaneratto – Palmeiras & Brazil
Beatriz “Bia” Zaneratto João is one the most lethal women’s soccer strikers in the world.
In the 2022/23 season, Zaneratto has experienced success at club and international levels. She played a key role in Brazil’s Copa America Femenina victory and scored for club side Palmeiras as they beat Boca Juniors 4-1 to win the CONMEBOL Libertadores Femenina.
The 29-year-old is a pacy, aggressive, and clinical finisher.
14. Sam Kerr – Chelsea & Australia
The amazing Sam Kerr has been one of the best female soccer players for many years now.
The captain of the Australia women’s national team joined Chelsea in 2020 and has so far won 8 trophies with the club.
This includes back-to-back-to-back Women’s Super League titles, as well as helping the team reach the UEFA Champions League final for the first time in 2021.
She has also scored a remarkable 81 goals in 99 league appearances for Chelsea.
In the 2022/23 FA WSL Cup, Kerr managed 6 goals in two appearances.
15. Keira Walsh – Barcelona & England
The 25-year-old deep-lying playmaker secured a move to Barcelona in the 2022 summer transfer window.
She is one of the best midfielders in women’s soccer.
Despite her age, Walsh plays with so much maturity and composure.
She was a key member of the England team that won the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 and was even named player of the match in the final.
Keira Walsh finished third in England’s Women’s Player of the Year and sixth in UEFA’s Women’s Player of the Year awards, respectively, in 2022.
