7. Rose Lavelle
Nobody has broken into these rankings quite like our highest new entrant. A frustrating run of injuries has kept Lavelle out of the 100 since her breakthrough a few years ago but her contribution to the USA’s World Cup winning campaign means she has flown right up into the top 10. The ease at which Lavelle travels with the ball is a joy to behold and her deceptive pace and trickery leaves even the best defenders with little chance of stopping her. The memory of her gliding to the edge of the box, side-stepping her marker and smashing the ball past Sari van Veenendaal in the World Cup is one of the standout memories for any player this year, but certainly for Lavelle. But Lavelle’s contribution was felt throughout the tournament, from her two goals against Thailand to her dazzling display against England in the semi-finals. Her NWSL season was restricted but she still find time to score a goal which inflicted a rare defeat on North Carolina Courage for Washington Spirit.
Richie Burke, Washington Spirit manager:
“Honestly, Rose has a legitimate claim for the title of the World’s Best Female Player at this stage of her career. She is undoubtedly the most enigmatic, creative and dangerous midfielder in the women’s game and she is still very young. There are very few players that bring the ‘X factor’ to games. With Rose you have a player that can turn a result at the drop of a hat, with one audacious piece of skill. She is a joy to work with and an even greater joy to watch when she is on top of her game.”
| ⇐ 8. Pernille Harder | 6. Vivianne Miedema ⇒ |
The Offside Rule 