Top 100 Female Footballers of 2022: 60-51
Results: 100-91, 90-81, 80-71, 70-61, 60-51, 50-41, 40-31, 30-21, 20-11, 10-1
The voting period for the Top 100 Female Footballers of 2022 was 1st November 2021 – 31st October 2022
60
Roord’s rise up the rankings is no surprise given how regularly she has been finding the back of the net, with her goalscoring stats impressive throughout 2022, more so because she’s a midfielder. Roord hit double figures for Wolfsburg last season, as well as adding five more in the Champions League, and already has five in the league this season. She’s becoming a key player now for club and country as she enters her peak years and it’s hard to ignore the form she’s in.
59
There remain few as deadly down the right-hand side of a pitch as Huth, and it’s no surprise she returns to our list after an excellent 2022. The 31-year-old ended last season’s Bundesliga campaign with 12 assists for champions Wolfsburg, well clear of anybody else. Her start to the new season domestically has been quieter, but she is one of the leading providers in the Champions League already and was one of Germany’s most dangerous players during their run to the Euro 2022 final.
58
Caldentey drops outside the top 50 in 2022 but has enjoyed a productive year. For Spain she was arguably one of the team’s most dangerous players at Euro 2022 while remaining a key player for all-conquering Barcelona. She’s enjoyed a good start to the new season, scoring three and setting up four more, while also finding the net three times in Europe, including a halfway line stunner. Her ability to play in midfield or across the forward line shows the versatility of her attacking qualities and why defenders find Caldentey so hard to stop given she can play numerous roles with ease.
57
Lawrence is another Canadian who drops slightly after the high of winning gold at the Tokyo Olympics last year, but it was still a really solid year for the 27-year-old. Her ability to play at either right-back or left-back sets her apart from most of her rivals, with PSG regularly using her down the right and Canada down the left. Lawrence’s drop doesn’t reflect her quality as a player and she continues to perform at the highest level.
56
Cuthbert re-enters the 100 this year and at her highest ranking after an excellent 2022, particularly for Chelsea. Currently, she’s busy scoring worldies left, right and centre, whether against Tottenham in the league or Spanish giants Real Madrid in Europe, Cuthbert is flying right now. Her stats don’t tell the full story, but her ability to burst forward from midfield and influence games certainly does. Chelsea recently tied the Scotland international down to a new long-term contract. There are few midfielders currently with the ability to pop up on the edge of the box and score or create like Cuthbert, and you feel like she’s just going to get better.
55
Little is simply timeless and her scoring the first goal of the new WSL season back in September reminded everyone of that fact. She was nominated for PFA Player of the Year at the end of last season and after a short-term loan to OL Reign in the USA over the summer, she picked up her good form for Arsenal upon her return. Still one of the best players to watch, displaying ease on the ball and an ability to control games. Sadly, an injury stunted her year recently but she’s closing in on a return and her side will be keen to have her back in time for the second half of the season.
54
Gwinn’s superb year which sees her re-enter the top 100 in 2022 – she last made the list in 2019 – has been tough since she has suffered a second serious ACL injury which will likely rule her out for most of 2023. Gwinn returned from her first injury and quickly reminded everyone what she can do, particularly at Euro 2022 where she was exceptional for Germany in their run to the final. Her performance at Wembley was one which didn’t deserve to end up on the losing side. There’s every argument to suggest she was the best full-back at the tournament and her form for Bayern was excellent too, and her loss for both is a shame heading into another big year.
53
Toone’s seven goals and eight assists in the WSL for Manchester United made her impossible to ignore by England’s Sarina Wiegman, and her scoring record for the Lionesses has matched up to her club standard. Undoubtedly Toone’s highlight of 2022 was her deft lob in the Euros final that got England off the mark, but her late equaliser off the bench in the quarter-final against Spain was no less important. She took some time to get going again in the new season but has returned to top form as United push up the table, and there are few in her role with stats as impressive as Toone this year.
52
Had Reiten’s performed last season like she is this term there’s every chance the Norwegian would be well inside the top 50 as she re-enters the top 100 this year. Her form this season for Chelsea has been exceptional, she is playing some of the best football of her career and now having a real influence on Chelsea in attack, where she has nine assists already in the WSL before Christmas. If that’s not impressive enough, she has five more in the Champions League, leading this season’s assists chart. She is the most creative footballer in the world right now and doesn’t look like stopping.
51
Weir has quickly become one of the most enjoyable footballers to watch and this year she has continued to develop her game, earning a big summer move to Real Madrid. Weir started it off in top form at Manchester City, ending her last season at the club with six goals and five assists, including another stunning lob against rivals Manchester United. The Scot has wasted no time in making an impact in Spain, showing off her skill, talent and eye for goal, while scoring to knock her former club out of the Champions League.
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