Who is the GOAT of Women’s Football?

Over time, the popularity of the Women’s game has increased exponentially, with recent record-breaking TV audiences for the major international tournaments over the past two years.

According to FIFA, the 2023 Women’s World Cup Final had a total reach of 222.02 million viewers. Meanwhile, the final of this summer’s Women’s Euros had a total viewership of 16.2 million.

The growth in the sport is undeniable, but the players we have seen take to the stage is what has made it possible. In the men’s game, the title of the GOAT is widely debated, but on the Women’s side, it isn’t something that we see spoken about in abundance. In this article, we will be guiding you through Football Park’s Top 5 Women’s footballers of all time, ending with the player we truly believe is most deserving of the title of the GOAT.

5. Sun Wen

We start the list with Sun Wen – widely considered as Asia’s greatest ever Women’s footballer. The Chinese forward enjoyed an incredibly successful career on personal level, highlighted by achieving the joint-title of FIFA’s Player of the Century alongside USWNT legend Michelle Akers in 1999.

Sun Wen made her international debut at just 17, as she went on to appear in four editions of the Women’s World Cup. In the same year as receiving her FIFA award, Sun had her most successful major tournament, as China came within a hair’s breadth of winning of the World Cup. During the 1999 USA edition, Sun scored seven goals on her way to achieving the Golden Boot and Golden Ball, as the Steel Roses lost the showpiece on penalties to the hosts. However, despite winning no World Cups in her career, Sun is still considered as the greatest player at World Cups, due to her consistent performances.

Sun didn’t go empty handed in the international field, however, as she helped China dominate the Asian Cup, winning four times between 1991 and 1997, whilst also earning a silver medal in the 1996 Olympics. Sun finished her decorated career scoring 106 goals in 163 caps for China.

4. Michelle Akers

Joint winner of FIFA’s Player of the Century award, Michelle Akers also enjoyed a successful personal career for the Stars and Stripes, scoring 105 goals from her 156 caps. Akers was known for being an incredible scorer for club and country, achieving some monumental personal feats, including 39 goals scored for the USWNT in the calendar year of 1991, and she holds the record for most goals scored in a singular World Cup campaign, with 10 as the US won the inaugural Women’s World Cup in the same year.

However, Akers’ career took an unforeseeable turn when she was diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome in 1994. She was never able to return to the goalscoring prowess she once possessed, as she was forced to sit back as she transitioned into a defensive midfield role.

Akers ended up excelling in this position too, controlling games for her country as she went on to win her second World Cup title in 1999, retiring a year later.

3. Birgit Prinz

We move to Europe for the first (and only!) time on this list, to German international Birgit Prinz. Her outstanding 128 goals in 214 caps makes her considered to be the greatest German women’s footballer of all time.

As for her international accolades, she helped Germany win two World Cups in a row in 2003 and 2007, whilst achieving Player of the Year on three occasions, as Germany also dominated the Women’s Euros, winning six in a row, of which Prinz helped to achieve five titles.

Prinz dominated her domestic leagues too, while playing for both FSV Frankfurt and 1. FFC Frankfurt, she won nine Frauen-Bundesliga titles and 10 German Cups. She later moved across the Atlantic to compete in the first season of the US’s professional league in 2002/03 under the Carolina Courage banner. She scored 23 times in 35 games, helping them win the inaugural Women’s United Soccer Association (WUSA) title. Overall, this added to her prolific final scoring return during her career, as she retired with 281 goals in just 282 appearances at club level.

2. Mia Hamm

All the way through the ranks in America, she is considered as the greatest player in the history of the USWNT. She is such a widely respected and recognised athlete in the USA, that during college, after leading the University of North Carolina to four National Championships in five years, Hamm entered the conversation as one of the greatest UNC athletes of all time – alongside none other than Michael Jordan.

She enters this list in second but is ranked fourth for all time appearances for her country, with 276 after making her debut aged just 15. Hamm had an incredible ability to read the game and know when to move into certain positions during offensive drives, which is what allowed her to have such a decorating career.

Scorer of the decisive penalty to win the 1999 Women’s World Cup, it wasn’t Hamm’s only winners medal with the Stars and Stripes, as she won two gold medals in the 1996 and 2000 Olympics. Hamm eventually retired with a historic 300+ goal involvements, making her one of the most iconic stars in US sports history.

1. Marta

The Brazilian forward, Marta is the GOAT of women’s football. There could never be anyone quite challenging her to top this list, as she is easily one of the most talented players the sport has seen. Like Hamm, Marta also debuted at a young age - just 16.

Marta initially spent 22 years with the Seleção, and during this first spell she became the first player to score at five consecutive Olympic Games, where she won two silver medals. She also holds the record with 17 goals scored in World Cups. After retiring from international football last year, Marta returned to the international stage for the 2025 Copa America, scoring this absolute screamer to send the final into extra time – where the Seleção eventually won on penalties.

A career spanning 25 years, her longevity is unmatched in the women’s game, as the 39-year-old penned a fresh deal with NWSL side Orlando Pride, which would take her playing career to last until late 2026, when she will be 40 years old. Her dedication to the game is immeasurable and her passion for the game never seems to end, which is why stands out so much and is the GOAT of women’s football.