Picture Credit: X
Men’s football is regarded as one of the most popular sports in the world, but in recent years, women’s football has also grown massively. Over the many years, female footballers have shown amazing world-class skills, dedication, and passion for the game to make it popular among fans. In this article, we've mentioned the top 5 all-time female footballers in the world.
Top 5 All-Time female footballers in the world
Marta Vieira da Silva
Marta Vieira da Silva is regarded as one of the best all-time female footballers in the world. Hailing from Dois Riachos, Alagoas, Brazil, the 39-year-old was named FIFA World Player of the Year six times in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2018. Marta is Brazil's top goal scorer with 119 goals. Also, she boasts a record of the most goals (17) scored in any World Cup. She won the Golden Ball in the 2004 FIFA U-19 Women’s World Championship and the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the Golden Boot in the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Marta is also the first footballer (male or female) to score in five Olympic Games.
Kristine Lilly
Kristine Lilly is an American former football player. She has the record for most international appearances (354 matches) in football history and scored the fourth most number of goals (130) for the United States Women’s National Team. The 53-year-old has won two FIFA Women’s World Cups in 1991 and 1999. In the Olympics, she has won two gold medals in 1996 and 2004 and one silver at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Christine Sinclair
Born on 12 June 1983, Christine Sinclair is a retired Canadian female football player who played for the Portland Thorns and the Canadian national team. The 42-year-old holds the record for most international goals (190 in 331 matches). She played a total of six FIFA Women’s World Cups and 4 Olympic Games. Sinclair also won the gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, and over the 23 years of her career, she became the key figure in raising the global status of Canadian women’s football.
Heidi Mohr
Heidi Mohr was a German footballer renowned for her ability to shoot with both feet. She represented Germany from 1986 to 1996 and played a total of 104 international matches, scoring 83 goals, and scored over 181 goals in her club career. Debuting against Norway in 1986, she was Germany’s all-time top scorer until 2025. She also played two FIFA Women’s World Cups and one Olympics. Mohr won three UEFA Women’s EURO trophies in 1989, 1991, and 1995. She also played a huge role in Germany’s dominance during the 1990s.
Michelle Akers
Michelle Anne Akers is an American former football player who played for the country from 1985 to 2000. The 59-year-old scored 107 goals in his international career in 155 appearances. Akers is one of the first players in the history of the game who is known for her amazing leadership role and strength. She won two FIFA Women’s World Cups in 1991 and 1999. She was the top scorer in the 1991 World Cup with 10 goals and also clinched the Golden Shoe in that tournament. She also won a gold medal at the 1996 Olympics.
