Greatest Female Soccer Players of All Time: 2022 Update
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Marta has never won a World Cup. She’s also the all-time leading scorer in the tournament’s history and has collected the FIFA Best Women’s Player award more times than anyone else, male or female category included. That contradiction, individual brilliance without the team trophy, sums up how strange and uneven the history of women’s football has been.
How We Judge “Greatest”
Any all-time ranking has to account for era. A player dominating in the 1990s worked with far fewer professional resources, less media coverage, and a shallower pool of opponents than today’s stars face. The players remembered decades later didn’t just win: they made the level around them better.
The Legends: Pre-2010 Era
| Player | Country | Position | Notable Achievement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mia Hamm | USA | Forward | Two-time World Cup winner, Olympic gold medallist |
| Birgit Prinz | Germany | Forward | Three-time FIFA World Player of the Year |
| Sun Wen | China | Forward | 2000 FIFA Player of the Century (joint) |
| Michelle Akers | USA | Midfielder/Forward | 1991 World Cup winner, foundational figure of the women’s game |
| Kristine Lilly | USA | Midfielder | Most capped player in women’s football history at retirement |
Marta: The Unmatched Standard
Brazil’s Marta remains the central figure in any greatest-of-all-time conversation. Her longevity stands out as much as the trophies: she stayed competitive and influential into her late thirties, well past when most forwards decline. She built that record without a World Cup title, playing for a national team that consistently underperformed relative to her own output.
The 2010–2022 Generation
| Player | Country | Position | Club (peak years) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marta | Brazil | Forward | Various (Orlando Pride) |
| Abby Wambach | USA | Forward | Western New York Flash |
| Alex Morgan | USA | Forward | Portland Thorns, Orlando Pride |
| Ada Hegerberg | Norway | Forward | Olympique Lyonnais |
| Pernille Harder | Denmark | Midfielder | Chelsea, Manchester City |
| Vivianne Miedema | Netherlands | Forward | Arsenal |
| Sam Kerr | Australia | Forward | Chelsea |
Ada Hegerberg’s Impact
Hegerberg’s run with Olympique Lyonnais in the UEFA Women’s Champions League makes her one of the most prolific forwards in European club football history. She also withdrew from the Norwegian national team for several years in protest of how the federation treated the women’s game domestically, a decision that became a landmark moment in the sport’s politics as much as its record books.
Where the Game Stood Heading Into 2022
By 2022, the Women’s Super League in England had pulled in talent from across the globe, Lyon had built a European dynasty, and the NWSL remained the dominant professional league in the US. The buildup to the 2023 World Cup, in audience numbers and investment, showed how far the sport had moved in a single decade.
The Next Generation
Alexia Putellas of Spain, winner of consecutive Ballon d’Or Feminin awards, represents where the sport is headed. Her Barcelona side changed how women’s club football could be played technically and tactically, and her influence on the 2022 cycle points to where the next wave of great players will come from.
Frequently asked questions
Who is considered the greatest female soccer player of all time?+
Marta Vieira da Silva of Brazil is widely regarded as the greatest female footballer in history, having won the FIFA World Player of the Year award six times. Mia Hamm and Birgit Prinz are also central to the debate.
Which country has produced the most elite female soccer players?+
The United States has produced the greatest concentration of elite women's footballers, driven by the college system, the NWSL, and sustained national team investment. Brazil, Germany, and Norway have also produced multiple all-time greats.
Has women's football improved significantly in recent years?+
Yes. Professionalism, media coverage, attendance records, and prize money have all increased substantially since 2010, and accelerated markedly through the 2019 and 2023 World Cup cycles. The 2022 period marked a genuine turning point in commercial investment.
Who has scored the most goals in Women's World Cup history?+
Marta of Brazil holds the record for most goals in FIFA Women's World Cup history with 17, scored across five tournaments. She overtook Germany's Birgit Prinz and remains ahead of the field, a testament to her longevity at the very top of the international game.
How many times has Marta won FIFA World Player of the Year?+
Marta won the FIFA World Player of the Year (now the Best FIFA Women's Player) award six times, including five years in a row from 2006 to 2010. No other player, male or female, has matched that run of consecutive world-player awards.
Who is the best female soccer player right now?+
Spain's Aitana Bonmatí has dominated the recent era, winning the Ballon d'Or Féminin in 2023 and 2024 and driving Barcelona and Spain's success. Her club and international teammate Alexia Putellas, a two-time Ballon d'Or winner, is also among the very best of the current generation.
Which women's footballer has won the most Ballon d'Or Féminin awards?+
Since the award was introduced in 2018, Alexia Putellas (2021, 2022) and Aitana Bonmatí (2023, 2024) have each won it twice, making them the joint record holders. Both play for Barcelona and Spain, reflecting that side's recent dominance of the women's game.
Sources
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