Top 10 Greatest Women's Football Players of All Time

Mia Hamm transformed women's soccer into a global phenomenon, scoring 158 goals in 275 international caps—a record that stood as the highest for any player until #3 Abby Wambach surpassed it. She won back-to-back FIFA Women's World Cups in 1991 and 1999, plus Olympic gold medals in 1996 and 2004, cementing her status as a team leader. Named FIFA World Player of the Year in 2001 and 2002, Hamm was the first women's soccer superstar in the United States, drawing record crowds and media attention. Her speed and tactical intelligence made her a constant threat, averaging 0.57 goals per game across her career.

Abby Wambach retired as the all-time leading international scorer with 184 goals, a record that stood until broken by Canada's Christine Sinclair. She earned Olympic gold medals in 2004 and 2012, and finally captured the World Cup title in 2015 after a dramatic final. Named 2012 FIFA World Player of the Year, Wambach's aerial dominance and clutch scoring were unmatched—she scored a record 5 career headers at World Cups, more than any other woman. Her 184 goals represent 34% more than #1 Marta's international tally, showcasing her prolific finishing ability from set pieces and open play alike.

Birgit Prinz is Germany's all-time leading scorer with 128 goals in 214 caps, and she is the only player to win three consecutive FIFA World Player of the Year awards (2003-2005). She led Germany to consecutive Women's World Cup titles in 2003 and 2007, scoring 14 World Cup goals across both tournaments—a tally that places her among the top 6 scorers in World Cup history, ahead of #4 Marta's 17 but behind her own era's stars. Prinz also claimed 5 UEFA Women's Championship titles, demonstrating sustained international dominance. Her strength and finishing ability made her a formidable target, averaging 0.60 goals per game and outscoring #2 Mia Hamm's 0.57 rate.

Christine Sinclair holds the all-time international scoring record with 190 goals in 331 caps, having surpassed Abby Wambach in 2020—a milestone that stands 30% higher than #7 Homare Sawa’s total. The Canadian captain led her nation to Olympic gold at Tokyo 2021, adding to two bronze medals from earlier Games. Her consistency across six World Cups over 23 years is unmatched among active players, with a scoring rate of 0.57 goals per match. This longevity and leadership make her the most prolific international scorer in history, outperforming every other woman on this list in raw goal output.

Sun Wen, co-winner of the FIFA Female Player of the Century award with Michelle Akers, secured the 1999 World Cup Golden Ball and Golden Boot with 7 goals, a feat only matched by one other player in tournament history. She scored 106 international goals at a rate of 0.58 per game, leading China to the 1999 World Cup final and Olympic silver in 1996. Her goal-per-match average is 0.01 higher than #8 Alexia Putellas’s club ratio, underscoring her elite efficiency. Wen’s all-around impact in major tournaments remains a benchmark for attacking excellence.

Homare Sawa won the 2011 FIFA World Player of the Year and Golden Ball after scoring the dramatic equalizer in the 2011 World Cup final, a moment that cemented Japan’s stunning victory. With 83 international goals in 205 caps across six World Cups, she maintained a scoring rate of 0.40 per match—0.17 lower than #5 Christine Sinclair but achieved while captaining an underdog team. Sawa’s 2011 performance, where she tallied 5 goals and 1 assist, remains the most decorated individual campaign in Asian women’s football history.

Alexia Putellas won back-to-back Ballon d’Or Féminin awards in 2021 and 2022, a feat only one other player on this list has achieved with consecutive honors. The Spanish midfielder’s 2021 UEFA Champions League victory with Barcelona included 26 goals and 10 assists in the league, a 36% higher goal contribution than the average midfielder in Europe’s top five leagues. Her 0.78 goal contributions per match over the 2021-22 season outperforms #6 Sun Wen’s international career average of 0.58, redefining modern midfield production.

Sam Kerr holds a peak Ballon d'Or ranking of 2nd, higher than the runner-up position of #10 Aitana Bonmati. The Australian all-time leading scorer (69 goals) and WSL all-time top scorer (78 goals) boasts a goal ratio of 0.73 per game for Chelsea, faster than the average elite striker. With 4 continental Golden Boot awards across the W-League and NWSL, plus a 2023 World Cup final appearance, her acrobatic finishing drives titles. She outpaces most forwards by scoring in 42% of her international matches, a metric exceeding typical rivals.

Aitana Bonmati, who outperforms #9 Sam Kerr in Ballon d'Or wins (1 compared to 0), secured the 2023 Ballon d'Or with 60% of the vote, the highest share ever. As the World Cup Golden Ball winner, she completed 534 passes at the 2023 tournament, 15% more than the typical midfielder. Bonmati earned the 2023 UEFA Best Player award and has 2 Champions League titles with Barcelona, plus a 92% pass completion rate in the 2023-24 season—a clear benchmark over rivals. She amassed 10 assists in the 2023 World Cup, outdoing the average. Her control defines an era.