Top 10 best female footballers in 2022

Football is undoubtedly one of the most famous sports in the entire world. It is no surprise that women's football leagues are eventually catching up to the men's level. However, what many people don’t know is that the very first women's football game was played back in the 1800s. Yes, you read that right—on March 23, 1895, the game was played in England between the northern and southern teams. North scored a glorious 7-1 victory. Women's football, on the other hand, was frowned upon and banned by the FA in 1902.It rose to fame again during the WWI, when the men had to be sent off to fight war and women took charge of the society.

Fast forward at least a hundred and twenty years, and women's football has gained immense popularity. Let’s have a look at the top 10 best footballers in 2022.

Alexia Putellas

Since Messi's departure, the 28-year-old Spanish star has served as Barcelona's leader and face. Putellas has won numerous awards, including two Ballon d’Or Feminin and two UEFA Women’s Player of the Year awards in 2021 and 2022, respectively. She was also the top scorer in the UEFA Women’s Champions League and was titled the leading assist provider in Spain’s Primera Division 2021–22. Alexia has also been awarded the title of "Best FIFA Women’s Player.

Sam Kerr

The Australian star is the only female player to have received the Golden Boot award SIX times across three continents. She has won the FA Women's Super League Player of the Year twice consecutively. Kerr became the team's leading goal scorer in 2022. The Chelsea star has an FA Cup and won the PFA Players’ Player of the Year award for her performance in 2021–22. Sam is also the first female to appear on the cover of the FIFA video game alongside Kylian Mbappe.

Aitana Bonmati

The 24-year-old has been a part of Camp Nou since she was 14 years old. The Spanish star has won many individual awards, like UEFA Women's Under-17 Championship Team (2015), Catalan Player of the Year 2019, Copa de la Reina Final MVP 2019–20, UEFA Women's Champions League Squad of the Season 2020–21, Premi Barca Jugadors (Barca Players Award) 2020–21, and UEFA Women's Champions League Final MVP 2021. This season, the Barcelona striker has already won three awards: UEFA Women's Championship Team of the Tournament 2022, IFFHS Women's World Team: 2022, and Supercopa de Espana Femenina Final MVP 2022-23.

Catarina Macario

The American star is the youngest player to make it to the top 10. Macario is believed to be the future of the US women’s national team in football. The 22-year-old star has bagged several seasonal awards, including the ESPNW Player of the Year 2017–18 and the Hermann Trophy 2018–19. Macario also won the UEFA Women's Champions League for Lyon in 2021-22. Her international achievements include the She Believes Cup 2021–22 and the Olympic Bronze Medal 2021.

Vivianne Miedema

The Dutch star is the first player to score one of the 100 goals in the FA Women’s Super League. Miedema holds a master’s degree in football business. She also has a UEFA ‘B’ coaching license. The 25-year-old star has earned more than twenty titles for Netherlands, Arenal, and Bayern Munich, including the UEFA Women's Championship Silver Boot 2017, two FA Women's Super League Golden Boots in 2018–19 and 2019–20, and three consecutive Football Supporters' Association Player of the Year awards from 2018–20. The current Arsenal striker also won three consecutive PFA Team of the Year awards from 2019–22.

Caroline Graham Hansen

The 27-year-old star has been a part of Wolfsburg for five years before joining Barcelona in 2019. The Norwegian striker has scored nine awards for the club, three Primera Division titles, the UEFA Women's Champions League, the Copa Catalunya, two Supercopa de Espana and two Copa de la Reina. Caroline has also been named to the UEFA Women's Champions League Squad of the Season twice.

Marie Antoinette-Katoto

The 23-year-old star has secured Division 1 Feminine, two Coupe de France titles, one Coupe de France runner-up, and two UEFA Women's Champions League runners-up for PSG. Her achievements include thirteen different titles and trophies, including UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship Player of the Tournament, UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship Top Scorer, and four consecutive Trophées FFF D1 Feminine - Team of the Season.

Jennifer Hermoso

The 32-year-old has been a part of Barcelona and PSG before joining Pachuca this year. The Spanish striker has earned over twenty-four titles for Rayo Vallecano, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, and Spain combined, which include seven Primera Divisions, four Copa de la Reina de Futbol, two Supercopa Femenina, and the UEFA Champions League Forward of the Season.

Mapi Leon

The 27-year-old has achieved a Primera Division and a Copa de la Reina with her first club, Atletico Madrid. Leon has earned three Primera Division titles, the UEFA Women's Champions League, four Copa de la Reina titles, three Supercopa de Espaa titles, and the Copa Catalunya for Barcelona. Her achievements for Spain include the Algarve Cup, the SheBelieves Cup (runner-up), and the Arnold Clark Cup (runner-up). She also has two Futbol Drafts, Primera División Best XI of the Season 2016–17 and the UEFA Women's Champions League Squad.

Ada Hegerberg

Throughout her career, the 26-year-old has won over fifty awards. For Lyon, she has seven Division 1 Feminine titles, five Coupe de France titles, six UEFA Women's Champions League titles, and two Trophee des Championnes.Her major achievements also include the Ballon d'Or Feminin 2018, two BBC Women's Footballer of the Year, two UEFA Women's Champions League Best Goalscorer, three Division 1 Feminine Best Goalscorer, one Division 1 Feminine Best Player, The 100 Best Female Footballers In The World, IFFHS World's Woman Team of the Decade, IFFHS UEFA Woman Team of the Decade, four UEFA Women's Champions League Squad of the Season, and three Gullballen.