Top 10 Greatest Female Soccer Players of All Time

10 months ago

In the world of soccer, there are extraordinary individuals who have left an indelible mark on the sport. This introduction brings you the profiles of four remarkable women who have made significant contributions to the game and inspired countless fans worldwide. From their remarkable achievements on the field to their trailblazing impact off the pitch, these players have become icons of women's soccer. Let's delve into the list of the top 10 most famous female soccer players of all time.

Top 10 Famous Female Football Players of All Time

In 1894, activist Nettie Honeyball founded women's football in England. The Scottish Football Association recorded their first match in 1892 in Glasgow. Due to multiple bans in the past, it was difficult for women to play football. Currently, football is the most popular sport of all time, with the most talented players and millions of supporters worldwide. Nowadays, female players are highly regarded and renowned globally. Let's explore the greatest female footballers with ANZ Football.

#10 Louisa Necib

• Nationality: France
• Date of Birth: 23/01/1987

Louisa Necib is a retired international French footballer. She spent most of her career at Lyon, winning eighteen titles with the French club over a span of nine years. She played as an attacking central midfielder and was described as a "talented playmaker" with "excellent technique."

Necib was also known for her "graceful possession, excellent passing skills, and ball control." The French media nicknamed her the "female Zidane" - similar to Zinedine Zidane, she is of Algerian descent, grew up in Marseille, and possessed great skills, especially as a spirited goal-scoring footballer. Hence, she was called "Ziza," a variation of Zidane's nickname "Zizou."

#9 Sun Wen

• Nationality: China
• Date of Birth: 06/04/1973

Sun Wen was born in 1973 in Shanghai. She is considered a legend of Chinese women's football.

She won the Golden Ball and prestigious Golden Shoe at the 1999 World Cup, and was awarded FIFA's Female Player of the 20th Century in 2001. However, a persistent injury forced Sun Wen to retire two years later.

#8 Hope Solo

• Nationality: United States
• Date of Birth: 30/07/1981

Hope Solo is a former American football goalkeeper. She is also known as one of the most attractive female players ever to grace the field. She began her career at Richland High School in 1996.

After her high school years, she moved on to play for the Washington Huskies in 1999 and never looked back. Hope achieved numerous awards, including an Olympic gold medal, a FIFA Women's World Cup championship, and two FIFA Women's World Cup Golden Glove awards.

US Women's National Team goalkeeper coach Phil Wheddon stated, "Hope Solo is the best goalkeeper I've ever seen in women's football. She has an incredible ability to launch attacks from her own penalty area with accurate passes of nearly 70 meters. Her presence makes the US team more dynamic and faster."

#7 Christine Sinclair

• Nationality: Canada
• Date of Birth: 12/06/1983

Christine Sinclair is a Canadian forward and the captain of the Canadian national women's team. Christine has played over 15 years for the national team. She has won the Canadian Soccer Player of the Year award seven times in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011, and she has been selected as a nominee for the FIFA Women's World Player of the Year award five times (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010).

Sinclair is the first Canadian player and the fourth player overall to reach the milestone of 300 international matches. She still holds the record for the most international goals scored of all time, both for men's and women's teams.

#6 Nadine Angerer

• Nationality: Germany
• Date of Birth: 10/11/1978

Nadine Angerer, born in 1978, is a German football goalkeeper. She is well-remembered for her extraordinary saves.

Angerer started her football career at ASV Hofstetten as a forward and was discovered as a talented goalkeeper when she happened to replace an injured goalkeeper during a youth tournament.

The female goalkeeper won the World Cup twice (in 2003 and 2007) and became a five-time European champion (in 1997, 2001, 2005, 2009, and 2013) with the German national team. In 2014, she won the FIFA Ballon d'Or for Women and became the first female goalkeeper to receive this award.

#5 Abby Wambach

• Nationality: United States
• Date of Birth: 02/06/1980

Abby Wambach, whose full name is Mary Abigail Wambach, is a former American football player. She began her career at Our Lady of Mercy High School in 1994. At the peak of her career, she remained one of the wealthiest football players of all time.

From the beginning, Abby had a strong passion for football, and she worked tirelessly to achieve tremendous success. She later joined the Rochester Spirit in 1995, where she played for only two seasons. Abby played for clubs such as MagicJack, Western New York Flash, and Washington Freedom, winning remarkable titles and making history. She is a gold medalist in the Olympics and a FIFA Women's World Cup champion.

#4 Birgit Prinz

• Nationality: Germany
• Date of Birth: 25/10/1977

Birgit Prinz first played for the German national team in 1994 at the age of 16 in a match against Canada. After 18 years of competition, Birgit Prinz played 214 matches and scored 128 goals for the German national team, helping them win two World Cup titles in 2003 and 2007, as well as five European championships (in 1995, 1997, 2001, 2005, and 2009).

Regarding personal achievements, Prinz's impressive performances in the German national team also led her to win the FIFA Women's World Player of the Year award three consecutive times (from 2003 to 2005).

Prinz is highly regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. Additionally, she is often remembered as one of the hottest female athletes on Instagram.

#3 Megan Rapinoe

• Nationality: United States
• Date of Birth: 05/07/1985

Megan Anna Rapinoe is an American professional soccer player who has played as a winger and is the captain of OL Reign in the National Women's Soccer League. She is also one of the most beloved players in the world of soccer at the present time.

She began her career at Elk Grove Pride in 2002. Rapinoe then played for the Portland Pilots until 2008. Throughout her career, she has been part of over 9 clubs and has achieved numerous accolades for these clubs, such as the FIFA Women's World Cup for the United States and the Women's Division 1 for Lyon.

Rapinoe is one of the outstanding female soccer players of 2021. She has won the Golden Boot at the World Cup and the Ballon d'Or for the Best Player of the Year in 2019.

#2 Mia Hamm

• Nationality: United States
• Date of Birth: 17/03/1972

Mia Hamm, born in 1972, is considered a legend and an icon of American soccer. She is an inspiration for countless girls around the world, and she has brought gender equality to the world of soccer. With 158 goals in 275 appearances for the national team, Mia Hamm is honored as the greatest goal scorer of all time in the United States.

Fans of women's soccer in the United States and around the world know Mia Hamm for her explosive attacking style and fearlessness in challenges. Her presence has always been a threat to any defense and goalkeeper of any team.

Mia Hamm has been named the Best Female Player in the world twice (in 2001 and 2002) and was selected by soccer king Pele as one of the 125 greatest players of all time. Mia Hamm officially retired and ended her illustrious career in 2004.

#1 Marta

• Nationality: Brazil
• Date of Birth: 19/02/1986

Marta Vieira da Silva, commonly known as Marta, is a Brazilian soccer player. In the realm of women's soccer, she is widely regarded as the best player, having scored some incredible goals.

Marta is described by her teammates as a kind and generous person. She plays for Orlando Pride in the National Women's Soccer League and the Brazilian national team as a forward. She has scored 109 goals in 155 appearances for the national team. Marta is considered the greatest soccer player of all time.

Although Marta has never won the World Cup, she is still regarded as the Pele of women's soccer, the queen of the soccer world. She has won the FIFA Player of the Year award 6 times, a record unparalleled in the history of world soccer, surpassing Birgit Prinz (3) and Mia Hamm (2). Marta holds the record for the most goals in the history of the World Cup (both men's and women's) with 17 goals.

Conclusion

These 10 famous female soccer players have left an indelible legacy, shaping the future of the sport and paving the way for the continued growth and success of women's soccer. Through their extraordinary talent and unwavering commitment, they have not only inspired a generation of aspiring female players but also elevated the status and recognition of women's soccer on the global stage. Which female soccer player do you admire the most? Please leave your comment below.

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