The Best FIFA Women's Player

Last updated
The Best FIFA Women's Player
Current: The Best FIFA Football Awards 2025
Presented by FIFA
Formerly calledFIFA Women's World Player of the Year (2001–2015)
First award2016 (2016)
Current holder Flag of Spain.svg Aitana Bonmati
(3rd award)
Most wins Flag of Spain.svg Aitana Bonmati
(3 awards)
Website fifa.com

The Best FIFA Women's Player is a football award presented annually by the sport's governing body, FIFA, since 2016, to honour the player deemed to have performed the best over the previous calendar year. [1] From 2001 to 2015, the award was known as the FIFA Women's World Player of the Year.

Contents

History

The selection criteria for the players of the year are: sporting performance, as well as general conduct on and off the pitch.

The votes are decided by media representatives, national team coaches, and national team captains. In October 2016, it was announced that the general public would also be allowed to vote. [2] Each group has 25% of the overall vote.

At the 2017 awards, 2016 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup Bronze Ball and Bronze Shoe winner and amateur club player Deyna Castellanos was nominated. Professional players Megan Rapinoe and Sam Kerr criticized the nomination. [3]

Winners

YearRankPlayerTeam(s)Votes
2016 1st Flag of the United States.svg Carli Lloyd Flag of the United States.svg Houston Dash 20.68%
2nd Flag of Brazil.svg Marta Flag of Sweden.svg FC Rosengård 16.60%
3rd Flag of Germany.svg Melanie Behringer Flag of Germany.svg Bayern Munich 12.34%
2017 1st Flag of the Netherlands.svg Lieke Martens Flag of Spain.svg Barcelona [note 1] 21.72%
2nd Flag of the United States.svg Carli Lloyd Flag of the United States.svg Houston Dash [note 2] 16.28%
3rd Flag of Venezuela.svg Deyna Castellanos Flag of the United States.svg Santa Clarita Blue Heat [note 3] 11.69%
2018 1st Flag of Brazil.svg Marta Flag of the United States.svg Orlando Pride 14.73%
2nd Flag of Germany.svg Dzsenifer Marozsán Flag of France (lighter variant).svg Lyon 12.86%
3rd Flag of Norway.svg Ada Hegerberg Flag of France (lighter variant).svg Lyon 12.60%
2019 1st Flag of the United States.svg Megan Rapinoe Flag of the United States.svg Reign FC 46
2nd Flag of the United States.svg Alex Morgan Flag of the United States.svg Orlando Pride 42
3rd Flag of England.svg Lucy Bronze Flag of France (lighter variant).svg Lyon 29
2020 1st Flag of England.svg Lucy Bronze [4] Flag of England.svg Manchester City [note 4] 52
2nd Flag of Denmark.svg Pernille Harder [4] Flag of England.svg Chelsea 40
3rd Flag of France.svg Wendie Renard [4] Flag of France.svg Lyon 35
2021 [5] 1st Flag of Spain.svg Alexia Putellas Flag of Spain.svg Barcelona 52
2nd Flag of Australia (converted).svg Sam Kerr Flag of England.svg Chelsea 38
3rd Flag of Spain.svg Jenni Hermoso Flag of Spain.svg Barcelona 33
2022 [6] 1st Flag of Spain.svg Alexia Putellas Flag of Spain.svg Barcelona 50
2nd Flag of the United States.svg Alex Morgan 37
3rd Flag of England.svg Beth Mead Flag of England.svg Arsenal 37
2023 [7] 1st Flag of Spain.svg Aitana Bonmatí Flag of Spain.svg Barcelona 52
2nd Flag of Colombia.svg Linda Caicedo 40
3rd Flag of Spain.svg Jenni Hermoso Flag of Mexico.svg Pachuca 36
2024 [8] 1st Flag of Spain.svg Aitana Bonmatí Flag of Spain.svg Barcelona 52
2nd Flag of Zambia.svg Barbra Banda 39
3rd Flag of Norway.svg Caroline Graham Hansen Flag of Spain.svg Barcelona 37
2025 1st Flag of Spain.svg Aitana Bonmatí Flag of Spain.svg Barcelona 52
2nd Flag of Spain.svg Mariona Caldentey Flag of England.svg Arsenal 40
3rd Flag of Spain.svg Alexia Putellas Flag of Spain.svg Barcelona 33

Wins by player

Player1st2nd3rd
Flag of Spain.svg Aitana Bonmatí 3 (2023, 2024, 2025)——
Flag of Spain.svg Alexia Putellas 2 (2021, 2022)—1 (2025)
Flag of the United States.svg Carli Lloyd 1 (2016)1 (2017)—
Flag of Brazil.svg Marta 1 (2018)1 (2016)—
Flag of England.svg Lucy Bronze 1 (2020)—1 (2019)
Flag of the Netherlands.svg Lieke Martens 1 (2017)——
Flag of the United States.svg Megan Rapinoe 1 (2019)——
Flag of Spain.svg Mariona Caldentey —1 (2025)—

Wins by country

CountryPlayersTotal
Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 25
Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 22
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 11
Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil 11
Flag of England.svg  England 11

Wins by club

ClubPlayersTotal
Flag of Spain.svg Barcelona 36
Flag of the United States.svg Houston Dash 11
Flag of the United States.svg Orlando Pride 11
Flag of the United States.svg Reign FC 11
Flag of England.svg Manchester City 11

FIFA Women's Player of the Year (including predecessors)

PlayersFIFA Women's World
Player of the Year
(1991–2015)		The Best
FIFA Women's Player
(2016–present)		Total
Flag of Brazil.svg Marta 516
Flag of Spain.svg Aitana Bonmatí —33
Flag of Germany.svg Birgit Prinz 3—3
Flag of the United States.svg Mia Hamm 2—2
Flag of the United States.svg Carli Lloyd 112
Flag of Spain.svg Alexia Putellas —22
Flag of Japan.svg Homare Sawa 1—1
Flag of the United States.svg Abby Wambach 1—1
Flag of Germany.svg Nadine Angerer 1—1
Flag of Germany.svg Nadine Keßler 1—1
Flag of the Netherlands.svg Lieke Martens —11
Flag of the United States.svg Megan Rapinoe —11
Flag of England.svg Lucy Bronze —11

Wins by player

Marta won FIFA's top Women's player award for a record 6th time. Football against poverty 2014 - Marta.jpg
Marta won FIFA's top Women's player award for a record 6th time.
PlayerWinnerSecond placeThird place
Flag of Brazil.svg Marta 6 (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2018)5 (2005, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2016)2 (2004, 2013)
Flag of Germany.svg Birgit Prinz 3 (2003, 2004, 2005)5 (2002, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010)—
Flag of Spain.svg Aitana Bonmatí 3 (2023, 2024, 2025)——
Flag of the United States.svg Mia Hamm 2 (2001, 2002)2 (2003, 2004)—
Flag of the United States.svg Carli Lloyd 2 (2015, 2016)1 (2017)—
Flag of Spain.svg Alexia Putellas 2 (2021, 2022)—1 (2025)
Flag of the United States.svg Abby Wambach 1 (2012)1 (2013)2 (2011, 2014)
Flag of England.svg Lucy Bronze 1 (2020)—1 (2019)
Flag of Japan.svg Homare Sawa 1 (2011)——
Flag of Germany.svg Nadine Angerer 1 (2013)——
Flag of Germany.svg Nadine Keßler 1 (2014)——
Flag of the Netherlands.svg Lieke Martens 1 (2017)——
Flag of the United States.svg Megan Rapinoe 1 (2019)——
Flag of Spain.svg Mariona Caldentey —1 (2025)—

Wins by country

CountryPlayersTotal
Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 46
Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil 16
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 35
Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 25
Flag of Japan.svg  Japan 11
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 11
Flag of England.svg  England 11

Wins by club

ClubPlayersTotal
Flag of Spain.svg Barcelona 36
Flag of Germany.svg 1. FFC Frankfurt 13
Flag of Sweden.svg Umeå IK 13
Flag of the United States.svg Washington Freedom 12
Flag of the United States.svg Houston Dash 12
Flag of Brazil.svg Santos 11
Flag of the United States.svg FC Gold Pride 11
Flag of Japan.svg INAC Kobe Leonessa 11
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Brisbane Roar 11
Flag of Germany.svg VfL Wolfsburg 11
Flag of the United States.svg Orlando Pride 11
Flag of the United States.svg Reign FC 11
Flag of England.svg Manchester City 11

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Martens was signed by Barcelona from FC Rosengård midway through 2017.
  2. ↑ Lloyd was on loan from the Houston Dash to Manchester City (FAWSL) from February to May 2017.
  3. ↑ Castellanos was signed by Santa Clarita Blue Heat from Florida State Seminoles midway through 2017.
  4. ↑ Bronze was signed by Manchester City from Lyon midway through 2020.

References

  1. ↑ "Circular no. 1560" (PDF). FIFA.com. 21 October 2016. Archived from the original (pdf) on 25 October 2016. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
  2. ↑ "The fans take centre stage". FIFA.com. 31 October 2016. Archived from the original on October 31, 2016. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
  3. ↑ "Rapinoe: 'FIFA doesn't care' about women". ESPN.com. 2017-10-23. Retrieved 2024-02-14.
  4. 1 2 3 "The Best FIFA Football Awards 2020" (PDF). FIFA. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  5. ↑ "The Best FIFA Football Awards 2021" (PDF). FIFA. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  6. ↑ "The Best FIFA Football Awards 2022" (PDF). FIFA. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  7. ↑ "Voting Breakdown: The Best FIFA Women's Player 2023" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 15 January 2024. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  8. ↑ "Voting Breakdown: The Best FIFA Women's Player 2024" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 17 December 2024. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
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