Here is how the 50 best players in women's football for the 2022-23 season rank after your votes…
After back-to-back GOAL50 wins for Alexia Putellas, a new winner has been crowned for 2023, with Racheal Kundananji becoming the first African player ever to top the GOAL50 list, men's or women's.
The Zambia star had an electric 2022-23 season, scoring 25 times in just 29 league games for Madrid CFF before adding a first ever Women's World Cup goal to her CV in the summer after helping her country qualify for the tournament for the first time.
Those exploits were enough to see her accrue enough votes from you, the GOAL readers, to top the list ahead of Nigeria's Asisat Oshoala, who finished second, and Colombia star Linda Caicedo, who rounded out the top three to make it an all-Liga F podium, with Oshoala plying her trade with Barcelona and Caicedo representing Real Madrid.
So, how did your votes shape the entirety of the 50-player shortlist for 2023? Here is how the GOAL50 rankings finished up…
GOAL50Lindsey Horan
Lindsey Horan's contributions were crucial to helping Lyon reclaim their league title last season, with three of her five goals in the competition proving to be match-winners. With those decisive moments, it's no surprise that she was named to the league's best XI at the UNFP Awards. The Women's World Cup might not have gone to plan for the U.S. women's national team but Horan also scored twice in four games there, her performances a rare positive despite a last 16 exit.
AdvertisementGOAL49Manuela Giugliano
Last season was an historic one for Roma as they won a first league title, the Supercoppa Italiana and reached the last eight of the Women's Champions League on their competition debut. At the heart of it all was Manuela Giugliano, their midfield maestro. Despite playing in a deep-lying role, she was directly involved in nine goals in the league and a further five in Europe, while her all-round play was crucial to Roma's eye-catching style as well as their success.
GOAL48Valentina Giacinti
Arriving from Milan in the summer of 2022, Valentina Giacinti turned out to be exactly what Roma needed as she netted 20 goals in all competitions to fire the club to a league title, the Supercoppa Italiana trophy and the last eight of the Women's Champions League. With six assists to her name as well, the work she did for the whole team while leading the line was crucial to Roma's success.
GOAL47Emilie Haavi
Named Serie A's Most Valuable Player last season, Emilie Haavi and Roma suit each other so well. The energetic Norwegian has all the traits you'd want in a dynamic wing-back and she has thrived in the team's 3-5-2 set-up, scoring nine goals and providing 10 assists in all competitions. Her work on the other side of the ball shouldn't go without mention, though, as it's also part of what has made her so integral to Roma's success.