How the Guardian ranked the 100 best female footballers in the world 2024 | OneFootball

It is time for our seventh edition of the best 100 female footballers in the world and here are the 99 judges who took part in this year’s voting.

Our panel once again includes some of the most respected and influential coaches in the women’s game, including Kansas City Current head coach Vlatko Andonovski, Lyon’s Joe Montemurro and Bayern Munich’s Alexander Strauss.

There are many new judges, such as the Eintracht Frankfurt head coach, Niko Arnautis, the France head coach, Laurent Bonadei, the Ajax head coach, Hesterine de Reus, the Panama head coach, Tona Is, the USA assistant Denise Reddy and the Racing Louisville assistant Carmelina Moscato, among many others.

There are also more former players than ever, including various record holders for their countries such as New Zealand’s Ria Percival, Portugal’s Edite Fernandes and Northern Ireland’s Julie Nelson, as well as the likes of Anouk Dekker, Darian Jenkins, Cheyna Matthews and Leonie Pankratz.

Their votes have been counted to determine the No 1 player of 2024 in a 12-month period which included a thrilling Olympic Games held in Paris.

The countdown begins on Tuesday 3 December with Nos 100-71. Then we will reveal Nos 70-41 before Nos 40-11 and then the top 10 to complete this year’s list.

The judges are listed in alphabetical order by category.

Players

Izzy Christiansen Former England international who won multiple major trophies with Manchester City and LyonAnouk Dekker Former Netherlands international, winning Euro 2017 in her home country and named in Team of the TournamentBecky Edwards Former USA youth international who played for Orlando Pride, Portland Thorns, Kristianstad among others. Now an assistant coach at the University of Tennessee and USA U20sEdite Fernandes Former Portugal international and Portugal’s top scorer with 32 goalsAlicia Fuentes Molina Former Spain international who represented her nation at Euro 1997 and now a youth team coach at MonterreyLuna Gevitz Former Denmark international and part of the squad which reached the Euro 2017 final. Played domestically for the likes of Montpellier and HäckenDarian Jenkins Former USA youth international who played in the NWSL for Orlando Pride, Kansas City Current among othersCheyna Matthews Former Jamaica international who played for Washington Spirit, Racing Louisville and Chicago Red Stars in the NWSLJulie Nelson Northern Ireland’s most capped player of all time with 130 appearances across 20 years. Played in England, Iceland and Scotland before spending eight years at CrusadersLeonie Pankratz Former Germany youth team international who played for Montpellier, Hoffenheim, Levante and FrankfurtAna Paola Lopez Yrigoyen Former Mexico international who played for UNAM, Pachuca and Cruz AzulRia Percival New Zealand’s most capped player of all time with 166 appearances, played professionally across Germany and EnglandJenny Ruiz-Williams Former Mexico international who played for Seattle Reign in the NWSL. Now a college coach in the USASissi Former Brazil international who won the Golden Boot at the 1999 World CupLaura Vetterlein Former Germany youth international who played for Wolfsburg and West Ham United. Now an assistant coach at FC Basel in SwitzerlandBrianna Visalli Former USA youth international who played in the WSL and NWSL. Now an assistant coach at Stanford UniversityAmy Walsh Former Canada international who earned 102 caps over 11 years and an inductee into the Canada Soccer Hall of Fame

Coaches and Technical Staff

Fabrice Abriel PSG head coachVlatko Andonovski Kansas City Current head coach and formerly USA head coachNiko Arnautis Eintracht Frankfurt head coachNatalia Arroyo Former head coach of Real Sociedad in SpainNatalia Astrain Former Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and USA youth team head coachBen Bate Current Auckland United head coachLeah Blayney Australia assistant coach and Under 20s head coachLaurent Bonadei France head coachShilene Booysen Wadi Degla head coach and formerly an assistant coach for South AfricaMariana Cabral Former head coach of Sporting Club in Portugal

Lisa Cole USA assistant coach and former Zambia assistant coachHesterine de Reus Ajax head coachSabrina Eckhoff Wolfsburg assistant head coachFabio Fukumoto Paraguay assistant head coachAnn-Helén Grahm Former Scotland, Finland and Tigres assistant coachMartin Ho Brann head coach and formerly Manchester United assistant coachLouis Hunt San Diego Wave assistant coachTona Is Panama head coach and formerly Pachuca and Spain U17 head coach. Earned 34 caps for Spain as a playerJonne Kunnas Linköping head coach and Finland assistant coachPedro López Ramos Mexico head coachJoe Montemurro Current Lyon head coachCarmelina Moscato Racing Louisville assistant coach and formerly Tigres UANL head coach. Earned 94 caps for Canada as a playerMark Parsons Former Portland Thorns, Washington Spirit and Netherlands head coachSigne Pries Andersen Faroe Islands head coachDenise Reddy USA assistant coach and former Chelsea assistant coachCedric Roger Vietnam assistant coachMarko Saloranta Finland head coachGuillermo Schiltenwolf Wellington United head coachMartin Sjögren Hammarby head coach and former Norway head coachKat Smith Western United head coachAlessandro Spugna Roma head coachAlexander Strauss Bayern Munich head coachLene Terp Fortuna Hjørring head coachJavier Visea Al Ittihad assistant coachRandy Waldrum Former head coach of Nigeria, leading the team to the 2023 World Cup and Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Media

Abdullah Abdullah Journalist in the UAE for various outlets and an author of several booksSamuel Ahmadu Journalist in Nigeria for NigeriaFootball and SavidNewsMelanie Anzidei Journalist in the USA for the AthleticEsther Appiah-Fei Journalist in Ghana for Olympics and various outletsRomain Balland Journalist in France for various outletsAnnika Becker Journalist in Germany for Sportschau and various outletsAlex Bishop Journalist in Japan for the Asian Game and various outletsMicaela Cannataro Journalist in Argentina for Diario Ole and various outletsAnna Carreau Journalist in France for RMC Sport, Eurosport and various outletsJaviera Court Arrau Journalist in Chile and women’s football documentary creatorSeraina Degen Journalist in Switzerland for SRF SportSofie Engberg Munch Journalist in Denmark for TV2 SportRyan Fenix Journalist in the Philippines for GMA News OnlineTom Garry Journalist in the UK for the Guardian

Tamerra Griffin Journalist in the USA for the Athletic and various outletsAlex Ibaceta Journalist in Spain for DAZN and various outletsCaleb Jephte Pierre Journalist in Haiti for various outletsMeaghen Johnson Journalist in Canada for TSNCalvin Kaumba Chikenge Journalist in Zambia for Bola News and Guardian SportMariam Kourabi Journalist in Canada for SheScoresBangers PodcastRich Laverty Journalist in the UK for various outletsSophie Lawson Journalist in the UK for ESPNGianluca Lia Journalist in Malta for Times of MaltaMarissa Lordanic Journalist in Australia for ESPN and various outletsJoey Lynch Journalist in AustraliaDavid Menayo Journalist in Spain for MarcaUnnati Naidu Journalist in India for DAZNBlair Newman Women’s football analyst and scout in the UKChibuogwu Nnadiegbulam Journalist in Nigeria for AIPS Media and Editor of LadiesMarchRivkah op het Veld Journalist in the Netherlands for NOS SportChristina Paulos Journalist in Norway for TV 2 SportTeo Pellizzeri Journalist in Australia for 10AustraliaAlicia Soares Journalist in Brazil for Planeta Futebol and VavelCourtney Stith Journalist in the USA for CBS Sports and various outletsJoanna Tokarska Journalist in Poland for TVP SportAssile Toufaily Journalist in France for Forbes SportHanna Urbaniak Journalist in Poland for various outletsAmber van Lieshout-Boonman Journalist in the Netherlands for Vrouwen Voetbal NieuwsAmanda Viana Journalist in Brazil for DAZN and various outletsRaffaella Volpiana Journalist in Brazil for Planeta Football and various outletsJulia Wanjeri Journalist in Kenya for JWSports1 and various outletsLucy Ward Broadcaster in the UK for DAZN, TNT Sports and Prime Video. Former player for Leeds UnitedAdriana Wehrens Journalist in Germany for 90minSuzanne Wrack Journalist in the UK for the GuardianBi Yuan Journalist in China for Titan Sports and various outletsAyishatu Zakaria Ali Journalist in Ghana for 90min and various outletsAmanda Zaza Journalist in Sweden for SVT

Header image: [Illustration: Guardian Design]