Aitana Bonmatí Crowned World's Top Female Footballer in Guardian's 2025 Ranking

Rich Laverty’s latest Guardian feature, "The 100 best female footballers in the world 2025," reveals the outcome of a comprehensive poll involving 127 specialists from across the sport. After a thorough assessment, Catalan midfielder Aitana Bonmatí emerged as the standout talent, securing the top spot in the global ranking.

Trailing closely behind Bonmatí are fellow Spaniard Mariona Caldentey in second place and England's Alessia Russo in third. The trio’s positions reflect the consensus of the expert panel, which evaluated performances across domestic leagues, international tournaments and overall influence on the game.

The interactive piece, published on 4 December 2025, not only presents the full hundred-player list but also offers readers insight into the judging process. Users can explore the identities of each of the 127 judges, examine how individual votes were cast, and compare the current edition with previous years dating back to 2018. This transparency underscores the Guardian’s commitment to an open, data‑driven approach to ranking the sport’s elite.

In addition to the rankings, the article promotes the "Moving the Goalposts" newsletter, encouraging fans to subscribe for ongoing coverage of women’s football. The piece serves both as a definitive record of the season’s standout performers and as a gateway for readers to engage with deeper analysis, historical comparisons and future forecasts within the women’s game.

Overall, the Guardian’s 2025 list solidifies Aitana Bonmatí’s status as a leading figure in modern football, while also highlighting the depth of talent across the globe. The detailed breakdown, judge transparency and supplemental newsletter invitation make the feature a comprehensive resource for anyone following the evolution of the women's sport.