Guardian 100 best women's footballers: Asllani, Beerensteyn and Giugliano among Serie A players included for 2023

Conor Clancy /

Juventus Women forward Lineth Beerensteyn has been ranked as the best player in the Women's Serie A, and the highest-ranking Italy-based player in the world, according to the Guardian's '100 best female footballers in the world 2023'.

Although Italian women's football has shown signs of growth in recent seasons, the impact of that improvement on the Guardian's list is minimal. This year, four Women's Serie A players have made it into the top 100, and many will feel hard done by in being overlooked, with the most notable omission perhaps being Juventus' Julia Grosso. On the 2022 list, three Women's Serie A players were included.

AS Roma's Giugliano the best Italian women's footballer

AS Roma Women's Manuela Giugliano celebrates. (@ASRomaFemminile)

AS Roma midfielder Manuela Giugliano is the only Italian player to have made the list, ranking in 74th position.

Giugliano comes into the Top 100 for the first time, having played a huge role in the Giallorosse winning their first-ever Serie A title in 2022/23, and helping them to reach the knockout rounds of the Women's Champions League in their first season in the competition as well. She also played for the Italy Women's National Team in a forgettable World Cup and has become an established player with the Azzurre.

For 2022, Juventus forward Barbara Bonansea was the only Italian player on the list.

Other Women's Serie A players impressed

Juventus Women pair Arianna Caruso and Julia Grosso celebrate. (@JuventusFCWomen)

A handful of Women's Serie A players will feel a little hard done by to have not made the list, with Julia Grosso of Juventus topping that list after another excellent calendar year. Throughout her time in Turin, the Canada international has consistently developed her game under Joe Montemurro and is now arguably the most important player in his Bianconere side. Her midfield partner Arianna Caruso is also worthy of a mention from an Italian perspective.

Other players that might feel deserving of a place are AS Roma trio Emilie Haavi, Moeka Minami and Giada Greggi. Minami arrived at the beginning of the 2022/23 season and took an already-impressive defence to another level, while Greggi was every bit as important as Giugliano in the Giallorosse's title-winning campaign, even adding goals to her game in 2023 as well.

The Guardian's 100 best female footballers in the world 2023

Barcelona Femeni's Aitana Bonmati with the 2022/23 Women's Champions League trophy. (Photo: Instagram aitanabonmati)
  1. Aitana Bonmati - Barcelona
  2. Sam Kerr - Chelsea
  3. Salma Paralluelo - Barcelona
  4. Keira Walsh - Barcelona
  5. Fridolina Rolfo - Barcelona
  6. Alexandra Popp - Wolfsburg
  7. Caroline Graham Hansen - Barcelona
  8. Maria Leon - Barcelona
  9. Mary Earps - Manchester United
  10. Lauren James - Chelsea
  11. Patricia Guijarro - Barcelona
  12. Kadidiatou Diani - Lyon
  13. Linda Caicedo - Real Madrid
  14. Olga Carmona - Real Madrid
  15. Jenni Hermoso - Tigres UANL
  16. Lena Oberdorf - Wolfsburg
  17. Lauren Hemp - Manchester City
  18. Sophia Smith - Portland Thorns
  19. Millie Bright - Chelsea
  20. Lucy Bronze - Barcelona
  21. Lindsey Horan - Lyon
  22. Guro Reiten - Chelsea
  23. Ona Batlle - Barcelona
  24. Khadija Shaw - Manchester City
  25. Amanda Ilestedt - Arsenal
  26. Hinata Miyazawa - Manchester United
  27. Ewa Pajor - Wolfsburg
  28. Wendie Renard - Lyon
  29. Georgia Stanway - Bayern Munich
  30. Katie McCabe - Arsenal
  31. Rachel Daly - Aston Villa
  32. Caitlin Foord - Arsenal
  33. Alex Greenwood - Manchester City
  34. Alessia Russo - Arsenal
  35. Irene Paredes - Barcelona
  36. Naomi Girma - San Diego Wave
  37. Mariona Caldentey - Barcelona
  38. Jill Roord - Manchester City
  39. Kerolin - North Carolina Courage
  40. Yui Hasegawa - Manchester City
  41. Debinha - Kansas City Current
  42. Asisat Oshoala - Barcelona
  43. Selma Bacha - Lyon
  44. Caroline Weir - Real Madrid
  45. Grace Geyoro - Paris Saint-Germain
  46. Melchie Dumornay - Lyon
  47. Teresa Abelleira - Real Madrid
  48. Chloe Kelly - Manchester City
  49. Christiane Endler - Lyon
  50. Trinity Rodman - Washington Spirit
  51. Eugenie Le Sommer - Lyon
  52. Magdalena Eriksson - Bayern Munich
  53. Alex Morgan - San Diego Wave
  54. Danielle van de Donk - Lyon
  55. Zecira Musovic - Chelsea
  56. Mary Fowler - Manchester City
  57. Erin Cuthbert - Chelsea
  58. Ellie Carpenter - Lyon
  59. Sakina Karchaoui - PSG
  60. Steph Catley - Arsenal
  61. Alba Redondo - Levante
  62. Pernille Harder - Bayern Munich
  63. Lynn Williams - Gotham FC
  64. Esther Gonzalez - Gotham FC
  65. Tabitha Chawinga - PSG (with Inter in 2022/23, until June 2023)
  66. Ella Toone - Manchester United
  67. Frida Maanum - Arsenal
  68. Rachael Kundananju - Madrid CFF
  69. Stina Blackstenius
  70. Lia Walti - Arsenal
  71. LINETH BEERENSTEYN - JUVENTUS
  72. Klara Buhl - Bayern Munich
  73. Chiamaka Nnadozie - Paris FC
  74. MANUELA GIUGLIANO - AS ROMA
  75. Ashley Lawrence - Chelsea
  76. Glodis Perla Viggosdottir - Bayern Munich
  77. Mackenzie Arnold - West Ham
  78. Victoria Pelova - Arsenal
  79. Esmee Brugts - Barcelona
  80. SAKI KUMAGAI - AS ROMA
  81. Merle Frohms - Wolfsburg
  82. Lieke Martens-van Leer - PSG
  83. Thembi Kgatlana - Tigres UANL
  84. Rafaelle - Orlanda Pride
  85. Jun Endo - Angel City
  86. Cata Coll - Barcelona
  87. Hayley Raso - Real Madrid
  88. Sandra Panos - Barcelona
  89. Kyra Cooney-Cross - Arsenal
  90. KOSOVARE ASLLANI - AC MILAN
  91. Kailen Sheridan - San Diego Wave
  92. Athenea del Castillo - Real Madrid
  93. Daphne van Domselaar - Aston Villa
  94. Jessie Fleming - Chelsea
  95. Alyssa Thompson - Angel City
  96. Damaris Egurrola - Lyon
  97. LINA MAGULL (BAYERN MUNICH, INTER AS OF JANUARY 2024)
  98. Mayra Ramirez - Levante
  99. Mina Tanaka - INAC Kobe
  100. Jovana Damnjanovic - Bayern Munich