Women’s soccer (or women’s football) continues to grow its popularity and a great example of that has been the European Championships this summer. Record crowds have turned out to watch the tournament in England.
Here is a look at who are the three leading players in women’s football at the moment, and what they have achieved in the sport.
Beth Mead
It has been an excellent 12 months for Arsenal and International forward Beth Mead. She is in the best form of her career. The 27-year-old scored 11 goals and created eight assists in the Women’s Super League last season.
Mead is playing with a lot of confidence this year, as she has shown at the European Championship. England are the 13/8 favorites in the women’s Euros betting odds for the trophy. The Lionesses’ leading goal scorer has helped her side reach the business end of the tournament and she is going to be crucial for them in their bid for the trophy.
England are one of the leading tips for the European Championship women’s competition, as Mead and her teammates have embraced playing in front of their home crowd. When she returns from international duty, her focus will be on helping Arsenal regain their crown in the Women’s Super League.
Alexia Putellas
Barcelona legend Alexia Putellas won the Ballon d’Or Féminin in 2021, the most prestigious award in women’s football. In what was a spectacular year for the winger, she was also named the Best FIFA Women’s Player and the UEFA Women’s Player of the Year.
Putellas unfortunately missed Euro 2022 due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury she picked up on the eve of the tournament. It was not just a huge blow for Spain, but also for many football fans who had been looking forward to seeing her play across the summer.
Spain’s all-time appearances record holder has been with Barcelona since 2012. She is behind only Jennifer Hermoso when it comes to goals for the Catalonian club.
Jennifer Hermoso
All-time top scorer for Barcelona and Spain Jennifer Hermoso has had an amazing career. She remains one of the most prolific goalscorers in women’s football, as she showed last season, topping the charts in the Spanish Primera Divison for the fifth time.
In her last three seasons for Barcelona, she has scored 70 league goals in 68 appearances. The 32-year-old finished second behind her teammate, Putellas, in the Ballon d’Or Féminin votes last year.
Hermoso is set for a new challenge next season as she has moved to Mexico to play for Pachuca. It will be the fourth different country in the world that the Spanish international has played her domestic football. She has been signed to help the Mexican club win Liga MX Femenil for the first time in their history.
The World Cup in 2023 will be the chance for the above three players, and many more, to shine on the biggest stages in the sport. It begins on the 20th of July and it will feature 32 teams from six confederations.
