The 15 Greatest Women's Soccer Forwards of All Time | OneFootball

Breathe in. Trying to look at all the greatest forwards in the history of women's soccer and narrow it down to 15 is a near-impossible task. There will certainly be plenty of disagreements.

After all, this list tries to compare players that featured across nearly 55 years of soccer history. In that time, the women's game went from an amateur sport to a professional competition, to a global phenomenon.

Something to keep in mind is that a player's peak and a player's total statistics aren't always equal. Yes, one player could have amassed more numbers overall, but how special were they when they were at their best? Was the club or national team they played on contribute to the data?

There are also going to be players like Sophia Smith, Trinity Rodman, and Mal Swanson, who all are perhaps too young to make the list. In a few more years, undoubtedly Barbra Banda and Temwa Chawinga could make their way onto this list too.

Here is Sport's Illustrated's top 15 greatest women's soccer forwards of all time...

15. Elisabetta Vignotto

Elisabetta Vignotto (R) / IMAGO/Oliver Hardt

Peak: 1971-1976

Major Achievements: Six Serie A titles, two Copa Italias, five-time Serie A Golden Boot winner, and two Mundialitos.

It's taken many years for Elisabetta "Betty" Vignotto to get her flowers. The release of the documentary 'Copa 71' in 2024, which focuses on the unofficial 1971 Women's World Cup, where Vignotto scored a famous hat-trick, has helped reclaim much of the forgotten era of women's soccer.

Unofficially, she scored 107 goals in 110 appearances for Italy, but FIFA cut that back to a still extraordinary 97 goals in 95 official matches. It wasn't until Mia Hamm hit 100 international goals in 1999 that any player surpassed the relentless scoring exploits of the legend from San Donà di Piave.

14. Abby Wambach

Abby Wambach / Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Peak: 2004-2012

Major Achievements: 2015 FIFA World Cup, two Olympic Gold Medals, two CONCACAF Women's Championships, and 2011 AP Athlete of the Year.

If there was a ball crossed into the box, then Abby Wambach would do whatever was needed to get her head on the end of it. A barrage of physical pressure and energy in the shape of a soccer player, Wambach was a traditional center forward who loved a battle. Not gifted with elite speed or skill, she got by with immense grind.

While her lone World Cup win came later in her career, it was Wambach's famous header against Brazil, in the 122nd minute at the 2011 FIFA World Cup, that will define her legacy as a never-say-die goalscorer. She remains the USA's all-time leading goalscorer with 184 goals in 255 games.

13. Homare Sawa

Homare Sawa (L) / Witters Sport-Imagn Images

Peak: 2003-2008

Major Achievements: 11 Nadeshiko League titles, eight Empress Cups, 2011 FIFA World Cup, 2011 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot and Golden Ball, 2014 Asia Cup, two-time Japan Player of the Year, two-time AFC Player of the Year, and 2011 FIFA Women's Player of the Year.

Homare Sawa was both a teenage star and an ageless wonder. In her native Japan, she made her club debut with NTV Beleza at 12 before then debuting for the national team at 15. Retiring at 37, no player in the history of Japan has more international caps (205) or goals (83).

In 2011, aged 32, Sawa helped lead Japan to World Cup glory by beating the USA via a penalty shootout. It was also Sawa who scored the dramatic equalizing goal in extra time to send it to spot kicks. She was a skillful finisher who gave everything with her country's hopes on her shoulders.

12. Christine Sinclair

Christine Sinclair / Craig Mitchelldyer-Imagn Images

Peak: 2006-2012

Major Achievements: 2020 Olympic Gold, 2010 CONCACAF Women's Cup, two WPS Championships, two NCAA National Championships, three NWSL Championships, two NWSL Shields, and an NWSL Challenge Cup.

The all-time goalscorer in international soccer history, men's and women's, with 190. The word that comes to mind with Christine Sinclair is enduring. The shy striker from Burnaby, British Columbia, was ever-present in the world's game for over two decades before retiring in 2024.

While her 331 appearances with Canada will arguably never be topped, Sinclair has forged a deep relationship with the city of Portland, Oregon. Four years with the University of Portland and then 11 with the Thorns in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) (amassing nine trophies along the way) has provided one of the best city-player relationships in the history of soccer.

11. Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw

Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw / IMAGO/Sports Press Photo

Peak: 2021-present

Major Achievements: 2022 FA Cup, 2021 Premiere Ligue Golden Boot Winner, 2024 WSL Golden Boot and Player of the Year, 2022 CONCACAF Player of the Year.

Khadija Shaw is arguably the best goalscorer in the world at the time of writing. The Jamaican exploded onto the scene in 2018-2019 when she scored 37 goals in 22 matches for the Reggae Girlz and helped the Caribbean island qualify for its first-ever Women's World Cup.

Since then, Shaw has gone from strength to strength at club level with Manchester City. She has sharpened her all-round game to become an elite link-up player and connector in the final third. As well as dominating the English Women's Super League (WSL) with 59 goals in 68 league appearances, more than any other player in that time. Composure personified.

10. Christen Press

Christen Press / Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Peak: 2012-2019

Major Achievements: Two FIFA World Cups, two CONCACAF Women's Championships, 2010 NCAA Player of the Year, 2012 Swedish Cup, and 2013 Damallsvenskan Golden Boot.

In terms of pure technical ability to hit a soccer ball, Christen Press is up there with the greatest of them all. Perhaps also best describes the insouciant forward's game is balance. With 64 goals and 43 assists for the USA in 155 games (0.69 goal involvements per match), Press was as almost as effective when it came to finding teammates as hitting the back of the net. Not many Americans have that kind of ratio.

While Press arguably doesn't have the same trophy cabinet at club level as some other top players, she also played a lot of her career for teams that didn't dominate their leagues. Similarly, injuries and mistreatment have robbed Press of many seasons and statistics. But the forward at her peak, when given an opportunity, was one of the most spectacular talents of all time.

9. Kelly Smith

Kelly Smith / IMAGO/Sports Press Photo

Peak: 2005-2008

Major Achievements: Five Premier League titles, five FA Cups, 2006/07 UEFA Women's Champions League and English League Cup.

Kelly Smith has a good case for being England's greatest-ever player, or at the very least, she is up there with the likes of Lily Parr and Lucy Bronze. She ended her Lionesses' stint with 117 appearances and 46 goals. Smith had a penchant for theatrical celebrations, most notably when she scored against China at the 2007 FIFA World Cup and removed her cleat, kissed it, and held it aloft as she wheeled away in front of the fans.

The Watford-born striker, confident on either foot, absolutely loved scoring goals more than anything in the world. A legendary stint with Arsenal between 2005 and 2009 saw Smith score 73 goals in 66 games and win the Champions League. Joy beamed when the net rippled.

8. Megan Rapinoe

Megan Rapinoe / Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images

Peak: 2015-2019

Major Achievements: Two FIFA World Cups, 2012 Olympic Gold Medal, three CONCACAF Women's Championships, 2012/13 French Premiere Ligue, three NWSL Shields, 2019 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot and Golden Ball, 2019 FIFA Player of the Year, and 2019 Ballon d'Or.

One of the biggest icons of the game off the pitch, Megan Rapinoe's exploits on the pitch weren't too shabby either. The winger from Reading, California, was one of the best crossers in the history of the women's game before hanging up her cleats in 2023. Rapinoe finished her international career with the third-most assists of any American with 73, which went along with her 63 goals over 203 appearances. The forward's coolness from the spot and big-game mentality that overtook the '19 World Cup will never be forgotten.

7. Vivianne Miedema

Vivianne Miedema / IMAGO/Sports Press Photo

Peak: 2017-2022

Major Achievements: 2017 UEFA Women's Euro, 2018/19 Women's Super League, two Frauen Bundesliga titles, three English League Cups, two-time WSL Golden Boot winner, 2018/19 WSL Player of the YEar, and 2021 BBC Footballer of the Year.

It has been a slow road to recovery for Vivianne Miedema since an ACL injury in December 2022 derailed one of the most fearsome strikers in the world from breaking more records. Even now, at just 28, she is already the Netherlands' all-time leading scorer with 96 goals in 120, having been crowned a European champion at 20.

The Dutchwoman's incredible introduction to the WSL with Arsenal saw her score 74 goals in 89 matches. Miedema's legacy will be her icy demeanor on the pitch, stern focus, and intensity in drilling the ball. But with plenty of her career remaining, just how historic and dominant she can be is unwritten.

6. Sun Wen

Sun Wen / IMAGO/Imaginechina

Peak: 1995-2000

Major Achievements: Four Asia Cups, 1999 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot, and FIFA Player of the Century (internet fan vote).

China was a powerhouse on the international stage in the 1990s, and a huge part of that was down to the incredible play of Sun Wen. The physical forward from Shanghai with a tidy touch could boss any defender she came across.

Although Wen and China lost in the '96 Olympic final and '99 World Cup final, to the USA on both occasions, her legend was etched into both tournaments by finishing as the top scorer with four and seven, respectively. The iconic number nine finished her China career with 106 goals in 163 appearances, 16 of those came across six major tournaments.

While her lone World Cup win came later in her career, it was Wambach's famous header against Brazil, in the 122nd minute at the 2011 FIFA World Cup, that will define her legacy as a never-say-die goalscorer. She remains the USA's all-time leading goalscorer with 184 goals in 255 games.

5. Brigit Prinz

Brigit Prinz / CSPA-Imagn Images

Peak: 2003-2010

Major Achievements: Two FIFA World Cups, five UEFA Women's Euros, 2002 WUSA Championship, three UEFA Women's Champions Leagues, nine Frauen Bundesliga titles, 10 German Cups, 2002 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot, three-time FIFA Women's Player of the Year, and eight-time German Player of the Year.

Prolific. Clinical. Brave. Brigit Prinz was a classical forward who had a magnetic ability to get a foot or a head onto the ball and steer it past the goalkeeper. Angular first-touch shots would look simple but be the product of a lifetime of hard work.

Prinz won everything a player could ever dream of in the game, and several times over. Her trophy cabinet may be the fullest of anyone on the list. She ended her breathless career with 128 goals in 214 games for Germany; and 282 goals in 282 club games for her hometown clubs FSV Frankfurt and FFC Frankfurt, as well as the Carolina Courage in the USA.

4. Sam Kerr

Sam Kerr / Sipa USA-Imagn Images

Peak: 2017-2023

Major Achievements: 2010 Asia Cup, two Australian W-League titles, 2013 NWSL Shield and Championship, five Women's Super League titles, three FA Cups, two-time Asian women's Footballer of the Year, two-time NWSL MVP, three-time NWSL Golden Boot winner, two-time WSL Golden Boot winner, five-time Australian women's Footballer of the Year, and two-time Australian W-League Player of the Year.

What makes Sam Kerr unique is her achievement of conquering two of the most competitive leagues in the modern game: The American NWSL and the English WSL (121 goals in 158 games combined). She is the only player ever to have won the Golden Boot on three different continents (North America, Europe, and Oceania).

Since making her debut for Australia at 15, Kerr has had to be talismanic and drag her country up into the upper echelons of the global soccer hierarchy. Now 31, with 69 goals in 128 international matches, her trademark move is the cute lofted finish when one-on-one with the goalkeeper. And, don't forget about the somersaults in the aftermath.

3. Ada Hegerberg

Ada Hegerberg / Matt Kryger-Imagn Images

Peak: 2014-2019

Major Achievements: Six UEFA Women's Champions League titles, Nine French Premiere Ligue titles, six Coupe De France titles, 2016 UEFA Women's Player of the Year, 2016 Premiere Ligue Player of the Year, two-time Premiere Ligue Golden Boot winner, two-time BBC Women's Footballer of the Year, and the 2018 Ballon d'Or.

At the European club level, Ada Hegerberg is the most decorated forward of the 21st century. Sweeping France and the continent with the unmatched accomplishments of Lyon. Her 59 goals in the Champions League is a competition record; she is also the only woman to score in four different finals.

In the French league, the Norweigan has 170 goals in 154 games. While injuries and a dispute with the Norweigan Federation have limited her impact on the international stage, Hegerbeg still has a sharp 49 goals in 86 games for her country. A stunning mix of speed and vision. Controlled intensity.

2. Mia Hamm

Mia Hamm / Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sport

Peak: 1994-2003

Major Achievements: Two FIFA World Cups, four NCAA National Championships, Two Olympic Gold Medals, and a 2003 WUSA title.

One of the first true poster women of the soccer world, Mia Hamm rose to prominence in the first wave of dominance exhibited by the U.S. women's national in the 1990s. So many legendary players were exposed to the sport because of Hamm. A quiet person but a loud figurehead for the sport.

Hamm was a silky dribbler of the ball who could weave and turn before unleashing a fearsome shot. The diminutive attacker played deeper and wider than a traditional forward. She seemingly had magic in her boots. Until Abby Wambach came along, Hamm's 158-goal total for the USA was also the gold standard.

1. Marta

Marta / Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Peak: 2004-2017, 2024

Major Achievements: Three Copa Americas, seven Damallsvenskan titles, 2024 NWSL Championship & Shield, 2010 WPS Champion, five-time FIFA Player of the Year, three-time Damallsvenskan Golden Boot winner, 2007 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot winner, three-time WPS Golden Boot winner.

The soccer world stops for few, but it stops for Marta. It's hard to think of a more universally iconic star in the history of the women's game than the Brazilian. A forward who can technically match any player, while also having a cunning and competitive edge to push the most daunting of opponents.

Marta's performance at the 2007 FIFA World Cup, where Brazil lost in the final to the USA, is up with the greatest single-tournament performances of all time. While many of her greatest World Cup moments happened in the past two decades, longevity is an underrated talent. In 2024, at age 38, Marta had one of her best-ever individual seasons, winning a league and playoff double in the NWSL, while finishing runner-up at the W Gold Cup and the Olympics with Brazil. Form is temporary, class is permanent.