10 European Women’s Soccer Players You Need to Watch
Women’s soccer has seen a lot of development in the last couple of years. From pay equality to huge crowds attending the games, it’s clear there’s no sign of women’s soccer slowing down. Europe is an epicenter for the women’s game, so here are ten European women’s soccer players that you need to watch.
Ada Hegerberg
Norway’s forward, Ada Hegerberg, is, simply put, one of the best players to grace the game. Playing for Lyon in Division 1 Féminine, Hegerberg has achieved many great things with her team. She was the inaugural women’s Ballon d’Or winner in 2018. She remains a ruthless striker who can upset any team’s defense. Her return to playing with Norway was a recent one after taking a five-year break due to a lack of support for the women’s team in Norway. Hegerberg is also the all-time top UEFA women’s club scorer; she even scored in four finals with Lyon where each one ended with a victory for her team.
Lena Oberdorf
Lena Oberdorf has been an essential player for Germany. Oberdorf’s talent makes it understandable that Wolfsburg’s fans, her previous team, are upset after her departure. Just a few days ago, FC Bayern Munich announced the signing of the 22-year-old defensive midfielder. While the move is a sad one for Wolfsburg, FC Bayern’s fans are delighted. FC Bayern Women’s department head Bianca Rech said that Oberdorf is “one of the most talented players in Germany and has a terrific future ahead of her.”
“I will continue to give my all for VfL Wolfsburg until the summer and then look forward to the new challenge,” Oberdorf shared. She was also voted as the Best Young Player at the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 in England.
Caroline Graham Hansen
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Another great player in Norway’s team is Caroline Graham Hansen who keeps proving herself as one of the best in the game. The FC Barcelona winger deserves more recognition especially with how she is capable of winning games for her team. The winger sits at the top of Liga F’s lists for goal scorers this season with 14 goals so far. She also made the most assists in the Liga as well with 12 assists.
The Norwegian footballer surely has a great season ahead of her. While Hansen doesn’t get recognized in individual awards, she is still a great player who everyone needs to watch.
Guro Reiten
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The WSL has its fair share of great players and one of them is Chelsea’s Guro Reiten. The Norwegian has stepped up for the challenge, and she manages to make a difference when she is on the pitch. Reiten had a great season with Chelsea in 2022/23. She made 11 assists more than any other player in the WSL and she also scored nine goals. Such numbers contributed to her being named the 2022 Norwegian Football Association Women’s Player of the Year.
With only three goals scored in the WSL this season, Chelsea’s fans are certainly looking forward to see what the rest of the season will look like for Reiten.
Marie-Antoinette Katoto
Another outstanding player in Division 1 Féminine is PSG’s Marie-Antoinette Katoto. The French player is a great striker, and she always poses a threat whenever she is in the penalty area. Katoto suffered from an ACL injury in 2022, like many other female players, but thankfully, she has been able to return and play her game.
Despite being only 25 years old, Katoto is on her way, if not already there, to be considered a legend at PSG. The forward has joined the club when she was just 12 years old. She became PSG’s all-time leading goal scorer in 2022. Katoto takes fifth place in Division 1 Féminine’s goal scorers this season with eight goals. She also has five assists under her name and one can only expect that her numbers will increase as the season progresses.
Lina Magull
Germany’s midfielder, Lina Magull, is another amazing player who is always expected to contribute. Magull played for Wolfsburg and also for FC Bayern where she won two German championships in 2021 and 2023. However, after the last WWC, Magull didn’t get the chance to play with Bayern as much as she or her fans would have liked. This could be one of the reasons behind her recent move earlier this year to Inter.
The transfer came after Magull’s request, which Bayern respected. Upon leaving FC Bayern, Magull shared that “FC Bayern will always remain in my heart.” Since joining Inter, the midfielder managed to score five goals in Serie A. The signing of great players like Magull across the different leagues in women’s soccer will always help improve the game and inspire more girls from all over the world.
Salma Paralluelo
A rising star in the world of women’s soccer is FC Barcelona and Spain’s Salma Paralluelo. With Paralluelo’s talent and bright future, many are grateful that the player decided to leave track and focus on playing football. The 20-year-old player made the move to Barcelona at a young age, but she has been up to the challenge. She also contributed to Spain’s successful run in the last WWC. With many already considering Paralluelo as a world-class player, she proves that she is capable of improving and becoming just that: world-class.
This season, Paralluelo already scored 20 goals with Barcelona, which is an astounding number. She was also named the Best Young Player in the 2023 Women’s World Cup along with being nominated for Ballon d’Or Feminin. All of this and more make Paralluelo a must-watch player this year.
Ewa Pajor
Wolfsburg has many great players that are capable of making a difference and one of them is Poland’s Ewa Pajor. Pajor’s talent is undeniable; she won the 2022-23 Golden Boot in the Champions League after scoring nine goals. The Polish footballer has great control of the ball, along with her finishing skills.
Pajor’s numbers and career so far certainly played and will play an important role in inspiring girls in Poland. So far this season, Pajor has scored ten goals and made four assists.
Manuela Giugliano
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Roma’s Manuela Giugliano is one of the best players in Serie A. The Italian midfield player makes a difference both in defense and attack whether when playing with Roma or Italy.
At 26 years old, expectations are high when it comes to Giugliano’s career. The midfielder’s performance keeps improving one season after another. Her talent is also showing this season, as she scored seven goals and created four assists. She scored five goals for Roma in the Women’s Championships League. Giugliano’s talent encouraged Roma to extend her contract until 30 June 2028. She commented, saying, “Roma is my past, present, and future,” and we certainly can’t wait to see what more she can achieve.
Romée Leuchter
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The 23-year-old Romée Leuchter is one of Ajax’s gems. The Dutch footballer has been in great shape recently with Ajax in the Vrouwen Eredivisie league. Before joining Ajax, Leuchter played for PSV Eindhoven, and it wasn’t long before she stole the spotlight.
The forward has scored 13 goals so far this season, and she also has created 6 assists. If Leuchter joined the Netherlands’s journey during the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025, she would definitely show her skills.
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