ESPN FC has revealed its fifth annual Top 50 players in women’s soccer worldwide. And to accompany the reveal, the company is streaming a special that will air both on ESPN+ and globally on Disney+.
The ESPN FC Women’s Rank debuts on ESPN+ on Wednesday December 24th at 7 a.m. ET and will also be available around the world on ESPN+. It’s hosted by Cristina Alexander with analysis provided by former USWNT star Ali Krieger and Natalia Astrain.
The highlight of the special will be a sit-down interview with the top ranked women’s player in the world, Spain’s Aitana Bonmati of FC Barcelona. Bonmati will feature in an interview with ESPN’s Gemma Soler and presented with the honor.
Bonmati is the winner of three straight women’s Ballon d’Or trophies and is the engine that runs the reigning World Cup champions and three-time Champions League winners. Her Spain and Barcelona teammate Alexia Putellas, herself a two-time Ballon d’Or winner, comes in at second on the list. The top five is rounded out by Arsenal’s Mariona Caldentey of Spain and Alessia Russo of England. The highest ranked North American based player is Malawi’s Temwa Chawinga of the Kansas City Current.
In what might come as the biggest shock, and a sign of the global power shift in women’s soccer, the highest ranked American player is Arsenal’s Emily Fox at 23rd in the Top 50. Although the USA at 7 total players is only behind England (8) and Spain (9), it’s a shock to not see anyone rank in the Top 20.
Women’s soccer has seen impressive growth worldwide in recent years. Netflix will air the Women’s World Cup in 2027 and CBS has begun to showcase the Women’s Champions League alongside the men’s games during their whiparound show. ESPN showcasing their women’s soccer countdown on Disney+ shows that they are trying to also capitalize on the growing momentum for the sport around the globe.
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