Ranking the 10 best players at the 2023 Women's World Cup

Now that we've ranked the top 10 teams at the 2023 Women's World Cup, it's time to run through the tournament's best players. With top-ranked performers Beth Mead, Vivianne Miedema, and Leah Williamson injured, these are the 10 women most likely to dazzle in Australia and New Zealand.

1. Sam Kerr 🇦🇺

• Age: 29
• Club: Chelsea
• Position: Forward

There's no better or more popular player at the Women's World Cup than Kerr. A complete center-forward, the Australian has won titles at every stop in her career. Named the women's player of the year by the English Football Writers' Association in each of the past two seasons, she helped Chelsea win a fourth straight Women's Super League title and a third consecutive FA Cup. She plays her best when the stakes are high. So far, Kerr's scored 10 goals in seven domestic cup finals. Now, she must lead Australia to its first World Cup, a daunting task considering it's failed to advance past the quarterfinals in seven attempts.

2. Sophia Smith 🇺🇸

• Age: 22
• Club: Portland Thorns
• Position: Forward

Smith burst onto the scene in 2022 with a historic display. Finishing the calendar year with 11 goals in 17 appearances, Smith became the youngest player to lead the United States in scoring in nearly three decades. At 22, she also became the youngest recipient of the National Women's Soccer League's MVP award. The U.S. hasn't had such a young player make such a significant impact since Mia Hamm in the late '80s and early '90s. Smith left for the World Cup on a high note, scoring a hat-trick in just 48 minutes during the Portland Thorns' 4-2 win over the Washington Spirit.

3. Aitana Bonmati 🇪🇸

• Age: 25
• Club: FC Barcelona
• Position: Midfielder

Bonmati is a prototypical Barcelona player: a calm influence in midfield and an intelligent passer who keeps the entire operation going without a hitch. As teammate Alexia Putellas recovered from a long-term knee injury, Bonmati moved into a more advanced role - and she thrived. She helped her club win the Women's Champions League with a tournament-leading eight assists. After initially renouncing her place in Spain's World Cup squad, the 25-year-old accepted a call-up in June, seemingly putting aside differences with head coach Jorge Vilda. Even with Putellas on the roster, Bonmati will pull the strings in midfield once again.

4. Lena Oberdorf 🇩🇪

• Age: 21
• Club: VfL Wolfsburg
• Position: Midfielder

Oberdorf is the youngest woman to make the top 10 and the only defensive-minded player on the list - a testament to her presence on the field. Though she hardly ever scores, she reads the game incredibly well, anticipating passes so she can break them up. Named the best young player at Euro 2022, Oberdorf gained a reputation as a menacing tackler. She's already appeared 38 times for Germany after making her World Cup debut while she was 17 and still in high school.

5. Alexia Putellas 🇪🇸

• Age: 29
• Club: FC Barcelona
• Position: Midfielder

In any other year, Putellas would top the rankings. She's a two-time Ballon d'Or winner and the best midfielder of her generation. Her timing is simply unfortunate. After missing Euro 2022 with a torn ACL, Putellas made a select few appearances upon returning to Barcelona's lineup in April. It's unclear if she'll be able to start or play a full game in Australia and New Zealand. But Putellas' explosiveness is tough to replicate - she once scored a hat-trick in four minutes - and few can play with her style and class.

6. Ada Hegerberg 🇳🇴

• Age: 28
• Club: Olympique Lyonnais
• Position: Forward

Hegerberg's trophy haul is impressive: The Norwegian has won the Ligue 1 Feminine eight times and the Women's Champions League on six occasions. She's the latter's all-time leading scorer with 59 goals and the first woman to win the Ballon d'Or. But she's only played in one World Cup. From 2017-22, Hegerberg boycotted the national team over gender inequality issues within the Norwegian federation. She also suffered an ACL tear that sidelined her for most of 2020 and 2021. Despite her struggles, Hegerberg still plays with the same fearlessness and poise, especially in front of goal.

7. Alexandra Popp 🇩🇪

• Age: 32
• Club: VfL Wolfsburg
• Position: Forward

Alongside Kerr and Hegerberg, Popp is one of the most successful strikers of her era. A seven-time Frauen-Bundesliga champion and Olympic gold medalist, the veteran nearly added a Euro 2022 winner's medal to her trophy cabinet. Popp scored a tournament-high six goals as Germany romped to the final, but an injury sustained during warm-ups kept Popp from adding to her tally. Wolfsburg also lost the Women's Champions League final in June. Make no mistake, though: Popp is a street fighter. Her 62 goals in 128 international appearances came with serious bite.

8. Debinha 🇧🇷

• Age: 31
• Club: Kansas City Current
• Position: Midfielder

Brazil's hopes no longer rest solely on Marta's shoulders. Pia Sundhage's no-nonsense Brazilian side revolves around all-action midfielder Debinha, a gifted player with edge and an appetite for goals. She helped her country retain the Copa America Femenina last year with the only goal in the final and finished second in tournament scoring with five. Her club officially lists her as a midfielder, but she could just as easily qualify as a forward. Debinha is the most well-rounded player at the Women's World Cup and the poster woman of head coach Sundhage's efficient team.

9. Kadidiatou Diani 🇫🇷

• Age: 28
• Club: Unattached
• Position: Forward

Diani bet on herself. After scoring 21 goals in 24 appearances for Paris Saint-Germain last season, she left the club as a free agent and tested the open market. While PSG fell short of winning both the Ligue 1 Feminine and the Women's Champions League, the quality of Diani's performances and the versatility she displayed as a winger-turned-striker earned her some serious credit. A move to serial champions Lyon is now reportedly imminent. And with former teammate and strike partner Marie-Antoinette Katoto injured and unavailable, Diani will prominently feature for the French national team.

10. Alex Morgan 🇺🇸

• Age: 34
• Club: San Diego Wave
• Position: Forward

Morgan narrowly makes the list ahead of French captain Wendie Renard, standout English defender Lucy Bronze, and Norwegian sharpshooter Caroline Graham Hansen. One reason is pedigree. Morgan has long been the most recognizable player in the women's game. A two-time World Cup winner and Olympic gold medalist, the veteran forward posted career highs last season, finishing as the NWSL's top scorer with 15 goals in 17 appearances. She's also the reason rising stars Trinity Rodman and Alyssa Thompson don't get much playing time - a testament to Morgan's staying power.