Every summer, GOAL will publish its exclusive list of the 25 players who have proven themselves truly elite by consistently producing top performances
World-class… It's an invisible but important tag, one that separates the good from the great. But it's such a subjective term. Every football fan has their own definition, their own set of criterion, leading to endless but thoroughly enjoyable debates in stadiums, dressing rooms, cafes, bars, pubs and clubs all across the world.
So, last summer, GOAL decided to get in on the fun by compiling a very exclusive list of the 25 women's players that we felt represented the game's elite, the best of the best, the players that had been producing stellar performances over a sustained period of time.
In order to avoid focusing solely on attackers – which, let's face it, nearly always happens when it comes to individual awards and accolades – we stipulated that there must be at least three players from each position group (goalkeeper, defence, midfield and attack), but a maximum of nine from each.
Now, the time has arrived to decide to gets to stay in the World-Class Club – and who must be politely asked to leave. So, who's made this year's 25 strong-list? Find out below, and be sure to express your approval – or outrage – in the comments…
GOALGK: Mary Earps 🆕
Earps was the stand-out goalkeeper as England won the 2022 Women’s Euro and reached the 2023 Women’s World Cup final, with fantastic performances at events of that level going a long way to mark her out as a world-class player. Underpinned by real consistency at club level for Manchester United before joining Paris Saint-Germain this summer, Earps so often makes saves that both shock and amaze in equal parts.
AdvertisementGOALGK: Christiane Endler
Widely regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the world, if not the very best, for at least the last five years, Endler shows no signs of slowing down. After representing perennial bridesmaids PSG for three years, a switch to French rivals Lyon in 2021 has given her a taste of the very biggest matches and she’s regularly delivered in them, especially in the Champions League.
GOALGK: Kailen Sheridan
Over the last three years, there’s been no goalkeeper in the NWSL as consistently brilliant as Sheridan. First with Gotham and now the San Diego Wave, the 28-year-old has not only excelled in every area of her game, but probably improved, too, to reach new levels. As such, she’s deservedly become Canada’s No.1, which is no mean feat given the competition there.
GOALDEF: Selma Bacha
Remarkably still just 23 years old, Bacha continues to be one of the most consistent performers – and a game-changing one at that – for one of the best teams in the sport. Primarily a left-back for Lyon while playing her part in four Champions League triumphs, that she can also excel further forward only adds to her world-class quality. There are few, if any, with a better, more wicked left foot.