1 Melchie Dumornay (OL Lyonnes/Haiti) Could she finally claim the prize? The 23‑year‑old dazzled in Lyonnes’ midfield, guiding a domestic treble and earning French players’ union player of the year. Injured for the 2‑1 semi‑final loss to Arsenal, she returned to spark a 3‑1 victory and net five Champions League goals, landing in the tournament’s best‑XI. For my money, Dumornay’s influence is unmatched.
2 Ewa Pajor (Barcelona/Poland) After five final defeats, Pajor finally broke the curse, scoring twice as Barcelona routed Lyonnes in Oslo. Her 11 European goals matched Alexia Putellas’ 2021‑22 haul, a mark untouched since Ada Hegerberg’s 15 in 2017‑18. In Liga F she added 16 strikes, second only to teammate Claudia Pina’s 21.
3 Khadija Shaw (Manchester City/Jamaica) Shaw secured a third straight WSL golden boot, netting 21 goals in 22 matches as City clinched the league‑and‑FA Cup double and inked a new deal. Beyond the tally, her hold‑up play, defensive work and vision earned her PFA and FWA player‑of‑the‑year honors, plus nine goals and a Best XI spot in Concacaf qualifying for Jamaica.
4 Alexia Putellas (London City Lionesses/Spain) Putellas returned to brilliance after a 2022 ACL tear, scoring seven Champions League goals and posting nine goals with seven assists in Liga F as Barcelona secured a quadruple. The 32‑year‑old also netted Spain’s second and third goals in a 4‑0 World Cup qualifier win over England.
5 Yui Hasegawa (Manchester City/Japan) Making her third long‑list appearance, Hasegawa orchestrated City’s double as midfield maestro, earned a PFA team‑of‑the‑year slot and helped Japan capture a third AFC Asian Cup, sealing World Cup qualification after an eight‑year gap.
6 Alessia Russo (Arsenal/England) Despite Arsenal’s modest haul, Russo shone, alternating between No 9 and No 10, earning a PFA team‑of‑the‑year nod. Her April strike versus Iceland lifted England into the Lionesses’ top‑10 scorers in World Cup qualifying.
7 Temwa Chawinga (Kansas City Current/Malawi) The NWSL’s back‑to‑back MVP and top scorer, Chawinga logged 15 goals as Kansas City claimed the Shield. She also delivered five goals to propel Malawi to their first Africa Cup final and World Cup berth, sharing the tournament’s top‑scorer title.
8 Claudia Pina (Barcelona/Spain) While her Champions League impact was modest with two goals, Pina exploded in Liga F, tallying 21 strikes and five assists. She added a brace in Spain’s World Cup qualifying, including the decisive fourth against England.
9 Patri Guijarro (Barcelona/Spain) Guijarro’s engine kept Barcelona ticking, supplying the midfield platform for Bonmatí and Putellas. She captained the side after Putellas’ departure and was vital in the quadruple, especially in the Champions League final against Lyonnes.
10 Barbra Banda (Orlando Pride/Zambia) Banda’s eight goals helped Orlando finish fourth in the NWSL and reach the semi‑finals. Though Zambia missed the Africa Cup knockout stage, she still finished joint‑top scorer with five goals and earned a spot in the Fifpro Women’s World XI.
11 Kerstin Casparij (Manchester City/Netherlands) Casparij delivered seven assists, the league’s joint‑best, as City lifted their first WSL crown in a decade. The 26‑year‑old also captained the side during Alex Greenwood’s injury, emerging as a true leader.
12 Mariona Caldentey (Arsenal/Spain) Shifted deeper into midfield, Caldentey’s role limited her attacking output, yet she remained a consistent performer for Arsenal and continued to impress for Spain.
13 Caroline Graham Hansen (Barcelona/Norway) The 31‑year‑old winger matched the league’s top assist tally with ten, while also scoring ten goals as Barcelona secured the quadruple, adding four Champions League strikes to her résumé.
14 Selma Bacha (OL Lyonnes/France) Bacha earned a Champions League team‑of‑the‑season spot as an attacking left‑back, and also featured in the Ligue 1 team of the season as Lyonnes completed a domestic treble.
15 Pernille Harder (Bayern Munich/Denmark) The 33‑year‑old netted a joint‑second 16 Bundesliga goals and added eight in Europe, securing a place in the Champions League team of the season.
16 Vivianne Miedema (Manchester City/Netherlands) Miedema’s impact was felt most when she was absent; a knee surgery kept her out for five games, yet City still clinched the WSL title. She contributed ten league goals when fit.
17 Mapi León (London City Lionesses/Spain) León, a Champions League team‑of‑the‑season defender, anchored Barcelona’s back line and supplied seven league assists before joining London City Lionesses in July.
18 Rose Lavelle (Gotham FC/United States) Lavelle delivered the winning goal in the NWSL championship final’s 80th minute, propelling Gotham’s title defense after an eighth‑place regular‑season finish. She earned NWSL team‑of‑the‑month honors in September and October/November.
19 Lorena (Kansas City Current/Brazil) The Brazilian keeper recorded 14 clean sheets, guiding Kansas City to the Shield. Despite a quarter‑final upset, she was named goalkeeper of the year and made the NWSL Best XI.
20 Manaka Matsukubo (Chelsea/Japan) Matsukubo’s 11 goals for North Carolina Courage ranked third in the NWSL, earning her midfielder of the year and Best XI honors, plus a crucial strike as Japan won the AFC Asian Cup and secured a move to Chelsea in July.
And the rest of the field …
21 Klara Bühl (Bayern Munich/Germany)
22 Cata Coll (Barcelona/Spain)
23 Alex Greenwood (Manchester City/England)
24 Wendie Renard (OL Lyonnes/France)
25 Esmee Brugts (Barcelona/Netherlands)
26 Momoko Tanikawa (Bayern Munich/Japan)
27 Caroline Weir (OL Lyonnes/Scotland)
28 Melvine Malard (Chelsea/France)
29 Scarlett Camberos (Club América/Mexico)
30 Tessa Wullaert (Como 1907/Belgium)
If you have any questions or comments about any of our newsletters please email moving.goalposts@.
This is an extract from our free email about women’s football, Moving the Goalposts. To get the full edition, visit this page and follow the instructions. Moving the Goalposts is delivered to your inboxes every Tuesday and Thursday.