63: Irene Paredes

Commonly thought of as one of the best defenders in Europe now, the PSG and Spain centre-back had another solid year. She has continued to be a regular presence for the French giants, helping them to a domestic cup triumph, and she was part of a watertight national team defence that kept six clean sheets in a row. It all adds up to a successful 2018 for Paredes, whose improvement continues.

Olivier Echouafni, PSG manager:

“Irene is a leader in our team. She calmly deals with anything that comes her way on the field. She is excellent in the air, technically gifted and is elegant on the ball.”

⇐ 64. Marie-Antoinette Katoto

62. Mana Iwabuchi ⇒