20 Greatest Women Footballers of All Time
The FIFA Women's World Cup takes place in Canada in 2015, with the draw taking place on Saturday to determine the group stage fixtures.
To salute the event and the women's game, we've compiled a list on the greatest individuals of all time, from such successful nations including the likes of Brazil, Germany, Japan and USA—the four nations of the past two World Cup finals.
In determining who should feature, we've spoken to a number of knowledgeable people for their opinions, looked at achievements during players' career and their longevity at the top of their game, and come up with the following 20 names.
With particular thanks to Kieran Theivam, Women's Soccer Zone; Ann Odong, The Women's Game; Jen O'Neill, SheKicks.net.
Honourable Mentions
1 of 21
Just missing our top 20 cut but still worthy of mention...
Camille Abily, FRA
Lauren Holiday, USA
Renate Lingor, GER
Hege Riise, NOR
Hope Solo, USA
Michelle Akers
2 of 21
We're going alphabetically and we start somewhere right near the very top.
The FIFA Female Player of the Century, Michelle Akers is a retired United States international who scored a massive 105 goals in 153 caps for her nation, playing between 1985 and 2000, including the first-ever goal by the U.S. women's national team.
In both 1991 and 1999 she was a member of the USA squad which won the FIFA World Cup, netting 10 goals along the way in the former to be top scorer.
She will long be remembered as one of the first and greatest pioneers of the women's game.
Nadine Angerer
3 of 21
The only goalkeeper to make our list, Nadine Angerer is a Germany international with 136 caps to her name so far, aged 36.
She has two World Cup winners medals to her name, though did not play in the first as she went in 2003 as an understudy goalkeeper—but didn't concede a single goal in 2007 as she played a huge part in Germany lifting the trophy.
Angerer won the FIFA World Player of the Year award in 2013, the first goalkeeper to win it.
Cristiane
4 of 21
Another forward, Brazilian Cristiane is a 29-year-old prolific attacker currently plying her trade in Russia with WFC Rossiyanka.
Despite having played already in the likes of United States, Germany and Sweden, as well as in her native Brazil, Cristiane has accumulated only three major titles so far—one Bundesliga, a Copa Libertadores and a Brazilian Cup title.
By contrast, her personal feats with goalscoring continue to mark her out as one of the finest around; she was top scorer at the Copa America earlier this year and has 31 goals in just 45 caps at international level.
Mia Hamm
5 of 21
Mia Hamm is retired, but as with Akers, her legend lives on strongly in women's football. Hamm finished up her time on the international scene with the United States after amassing the staggering totals of 275 caps and 158 goals.
She won the World Cup in 1999, scoring twice and also hitting a penalty in the final shoot-out. In both 1995 and 2003, USA finished third in the World Cup with Hamm in the squad.
An Olympic gold medalist with the national team, Mia Hamm is one of early legends of women's football whose time at the top transcended the changes the game has undergone in the modern age.
Ariane Hingst
6 of 21
Germany defender Ariane Hingst retired from international football in 2011, having won over 170 caps for the national team and being a big part of the side that won every European Championship and World Cup tournament in '01, '03, '05, '07 and '09.
Hingst played out her career in Germany, Sweden and Australia, with her most successful period coming in her home nation.
Hingst's presence in the back line helped inspire what was the best team in the world at that point to unimaginably consistent achievement.
Formiga
7 of 21
Formiga remains a force at both club and international level at age 36, a consistent and impressive presence in midfield for the Brazilian national team with close to 100 caps to her name.
Though she (nor her nation) has never won the women's World Cup, Formiga was part of the national team squad at five consecutive tournaments, from '95 through to 2011. She has also featured in five Olympic tournaments and picked up silver medals there in '04 and '08.
Now back in Brazil with Sao Jose, Formiga previously played in Sweden and the United States.
Kerstin Garefrekes
8 of 21
German midfielder Kerstin Garefrekes is another who was a major part of the team, like Hingst, as such sweeping success was attained in World Cups and Euros alike during the mid-to-late 2000s.
Also like Hingst, Garefrekes retired after the 2011 World Cup, with 130 caps to her name and now continues to play for club side FFC Frankfurt.
Playing either in midfield or further forward, Garefrekes showed the capacity to hit the back of the net on a regular basis, as evidenced by her top-scorer award in the Bundesliga for 2004 and by her 43 international goals.
Kristine Lilly
9 of 21
A world record holder and with good reason: Kristine Lilly proved so capable and consistent that she made a phenomenal 352 appearances at international level for United States.
The attacker hit well over 100 goals in that time, too, winning the FIFA World Cup in 1991 and 1999, scoring twice at the latter tournament.
Lilly's international career spanned between 1987 and 2010, during which time she also won two Olympic gold medals.
Hanna Ljungberg
10 of 21
A retired Swedish forward, Hanna Ljungberg hit an impressive 72 goals in 130 caps for her national team, being a member of the squad who finished third at the 2003 World Cup finals in the United States.
Her senior career at club level was largely spent with Umea SK in her home country, winning multiple league titles with them and finishing third place in the World Player of the Year award in 2003.
Ljungberg was close to joining Serie A side Perugia, but the move to men's football was cancelled.
Carli Lloyd
11 of 21
Carli Lloyd is a 32-year-old midfielder who continues to be a part of the USWNT after winning 181 caps in her career so far.
She will play for Houston Dash in the NWSL in 2015, having previously played for the likes of Chicago Red Stars and Western New York Flash.
Lloyd was nominated to the World Player of the Year shortlist in 2012.
Marta
12 of 21
Still currently active and banging in the goals at a rate of more than one per game is Brazilian forward Marta Vieira da Silva, better known as merely Marta.
With 82 goals in just 73 international caps, the 28-year-old is one of the greatest current players, for some time indeed the best in the world as she clocked up five successive World Player of the Year awards between 2006 and 2010.
Marta has won titles in the USA and Sweden, as well as the Copa Libertadores while playing in Brazil, and most recently signed with FC Rosengard.
Aya Miyama
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Current Japan star Aya Miyama is seen as one of the best Asian players ever, with 34 international goals to her name in 144 appearances at international level.
Having left Asia to play in United States previously, she has been back with Okayama Yunogo Belle since 2010.
Miyama scored in the World Cup final in 2011 and netted in the shoot-out too, as Japan lifted the trophy over the United States. A year later, Miyama captained Japan to silver at the Olympics in London.
Birgit Prinz
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Birgit Prinz was a three-time FIFA World Player of the Year who represented the Germany national team on a humongous 214 occasions.
The striker was known as one of the most reliable and clinical players around, playing international football for over a decade and a half and playing the majority of her career with FFC Frankfurt. Prinz was a two-time World Cup winner and won eight German Player of the Year awards too.
She retired in 2011.
Christie Rampone
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Christie Rampone is the current United States women's team captain and one of the most experienced players anywhere in the world at the top level, with more than 300 caps to her name at age 39. Only Kristine Lilly has more.
The centre-back has played at four World Cups and four Olympic tournaments, winning at both major tournaments.
Rampone took over the captaincy in 2008 and currently plays for Sky Blue FC in New Jersey.
Homare Sawa
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If Miyama is maybe Asia's best current player, Homare Sawa lays claim to the best Asian player of all time.
Now playing back in Japan with INAC Kobe Leonessa, 36-year-old Sawa also played for a time in the United States and has been an international player since age 15, amassing close to 200 caps since then.
An impressive honours list shows a World Cup winner's trophy, a silver medal at the Olympics and the Ballon d'Or in 2011.
Lotta Schelin
17 of 21
Thirty-year-old Swedish forward Lotta Schelin is one of Europe's top talents, playing with Lyon in France after spending her early years with Goteborg back in Sweden.
With 73 goals in 143 caps, she's a prolific and consistent scorer, something backed up by her tallies of a goal per game at club level too. The top all-time scorer for Sweden, Schelin is currently one ahead of Hanna Ljungberg but with plenty of time ahead of her to add to that total.
Schelin has been recognised with awards in France including the top scorer award and the league's best player, while also being nominated to FIFA's team of the year.
Christine Sinclair
18 of 21
At 31 years of age and still scoring goals, Christine Sinclair has almost 150 international goals to her name for Canada in 214 games.
During that time, she has helped Canada to the CONCACAF Women's Championship and a bronze medal at the 2012 Olympics where she was top scorer, as well as finishing fourth at the 2003 World Cup.
An 11-time Canadian Player of the Year winner, Sinclair is the national team captain and plays her club football with Portland Thorns.
Kelly Smith
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Kelly Smith is perhaps the best player to have emerged from England to date, though being dissatisfied with the level of professional football in her home country she played for many years in United States. Even so, she has spent time in England with Arsenal, where she currently plays, following the formation of the WSL.
The all-time top scorer for England, Smith has 46 goals in 115 caps, playing in various attacking roles throughout her career—which has been hampered more than once by injury.
Now aged 36, Smith played for Team GB at the 2012 Olympics and at two World Cups, missing another in her youth due to exams. In 2009, she was third in the World Player of the Year.
Sun Wen
20 of 21
Retired Chinese forward Sun Wen is the other who can legitimately challenge Sawa for Asia's best all-time player title, sharing the FIFA Female Player of the Century award with Michelle Akers.
Sun Wen scored 106 goals in 152 games at international level, winning both the Golden Boot and Golden Ball at the 1999 World Cup as China finished runners-up to United States on penalties.
She also suffered defeat to USA at the '96 Olympics gold medal match, in which she scored, before retiring in 2006.
Abby Wambach
21 of 21
Our final choice is American forward Abby Wambach, current star of Western New York Flash and scorer of 177 goals for United States to date, in 228 appearances.
Wambach became the first ever footballer, male or female, to receive the Associated Press Athlete of the Year award in 2011, while a year later she also won the FIFA World Player of the Year. In the 2011 and 2013 she was also nominated for the award.
She has played in three World Cup finals to date, reaching the final last time out, while also winning Olympic gold in 2004 and 2012.
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