ON NOV. 12, the United States Treasury Department shut down its 232-year run of producing pennies. This wasn’t a big deal to me (and I’m almost certain wasn’t to you). Most people don’t think about pennies that often and use them even less, which is precisely why the government stopped making the coins in the first place.
The gripes about pennies are familiar: There’s no such thing as penny candy any more. Many stores won’t even take them. They cost four cents to make but only have one cent of value. They’re annoying.
Essentially, pennies are worth nothing.
But before you forget about them entirely, consider this:
What if they’re worth everything?
DALE EARNHARDT SR. was stressed. It was Saturday, Feb. 14, 1998, the final day of practice before the Daytona 500, and Earnhardt’s car was having problems. An engine issue. His team was debating whether to swap in one of the backups, but with less than 24 hours until the race, there was no consensus. Only anxiety.
This was standard for Earnhardt at Daytona. Despite being the biggest star in NASCAR and an all-time legend, Earnhardt had never won his sport’s most famous prize. Can you imagine if Tiger Woods accomplished everything he did except he never won a single Masters? That was Earnhardt. It wasn’t just a glaring hole in his legacy; it was the only hole.
It didn’t help that he had lost the 500 in what seemed like every way possible. He had finished second four times. He wrecked. He had equipment fail. In 1986, he was charging toward the front and ran out of gas with three laps to go. In 1990, he ran over a piece of debris on the final lap and blew a tire to lose the lead at the wire. In 1991, he hit a seagull, and no, that is not some kind of NASCAR euphemism; Earnhardt literally collided with a low-flying bird, muddying his car’s aerodynamics, before later crashing. Nineteen previous starts in the Daytona 500, 19 heartbreaks. The engine trouble on that Saturday in 1998 felt like the beginning of No. 20.
So, yeah, Earnhardt was a little edgy as he left the garage’s main area and walked toward a small conference room. His longtime adviser, JR Rhodes, was alongside; everyone else on the team kept working on the car.
A handful of children greeted him in the conference room. They were Make-A-Wish kids. Earnhardt put on his best face and was gracious. He squatted down to be at the same eye level as the children as he talked to them, then popped back up to shake hands with the parents. He gave them his attention in addition to his time.
Near the end, he came to a little girl. Her name was Wessa Miller. She was from Kentucky. She was 6 years old and had been born with spina bifida, a condition where the back doesn’t form correctly, leaving the spinal cord and surrounding nerves exposed instead of covered. In the hospital, doctors told Wessa’s mom, Juanita, it was the worst case of spina bifida they had ever seen and it wasn’t likely Wessa would survive long enough to go home. Six years later, Juanita and her husband, Booker, were treating each day with Wessa as a gift. Wessa was paralyzed from the waist down, had a shunt in her head to reduce fluid and was in a wheelchair. Earnhardt kneeled next to her.
Wessa loved Earnhardt. Juanita had grown up rooting for Darrell Waltrip, but Booker was born the exact same day as Earnhardt — April 29, 1951 — and followed him closely. Wessa would sometimes say, “I’m Dale Earnhardt!” as she played with a toy car. She was dutiful about watching his races.
Wessa and Earnhardt talked for nearly 15 minutes. They giggled. Then Wessa said, in her slow, syrupy speech, that she had something to give Earnhardt. She pushed her tiny hand into his. He looked down. It was a penny. A lucky penny, she said.
“What’s this for?” Earnhardt asked. People would sometimes give him cards or pictures to autograph, but no one had ever given him a coin. He was confused. “What’s this for?” he said again.
“That’s for you,” Wessa told him, “to win the Daytona 500.”
IT SHOULD BE SAID: Earnhardt was not a deeply superstitious man. He had a couple of hoodoos like most drivers — peanuts anywhere near a race car were verboten, and Earnhardt steadfastly avoided $50 bills because, it was said, an old-time driver died in a crash with two of them in his pocket.
But beyond those, Rhodes told me, there wasn’t much. That was why it was so surprising to Rhodes that Earnhardt, after leaving Wessa and walking out of the conference room, looked so determined.
If a fan handed Earnhardt a gift — whatever it was — he’d usually just pass it to Rhodes. This time, though, Earnhardt squeezed Wessa’s penny in his fist and headed immediately for the garage.
Jerry Hailey, who worked on Earnhardt’s crew, figured Earnhardt was hurrying back to rejoin the conversation about what to do with the engine. But Earnhardt blew past everyone and started rifling the shelves. “I remember he was like, ‘I need glue,'” Hailey said.
Ron Otto, another crew member, grabbed a bit of epoxy and began mixing it for Earnhardt, but Earnhardt didn’t want to wait. He snatched a tube of yellow Gorilla Glue, took it over to the car and tried to stick the penny to the dashboard.
“And this stuff is stringy and it’s everywhere,” Hailey said. “It’s all over his hands, all over his gloves. When he pulled his hand back, the penny came off. So he’s like, ‘Give me some more glue,’ and he puts it back on there.”
Hailey laughed. “You can still see his fingerprint on it,” he said.
JUANITA SAYS THAT, originally, Wessa was going to be named either Lynetta Jo or Joetta Lynn. She and Booker just weren’t sure. But Booker had an uncle everyone called Uncle Wess and, shortly before Juanita gave birth, Uncle Wess died from a heart attack. Juanita knew how much Uncle Wess was looking forward to having a new grandniece, she said, “so I just came up with Wessa after he passed. Truthfully, it’s a made-up name.”
Wessa was born at Pikeville Medical Center, but immediately after delivery, doctors told Juanita they weren’t equipped to try to save a child with this level of spina bifida. She was transferred to the University of Kentucky hospital in Lexington, almost 150 miles away. Juanita had never heard of spina bifida; she just knew something was very wrong with her baby.
“They told us when she was born she’d never be nothing but a vegetable,” Booker said. “I said, ‘OK, this is how I feel about it: You tell me she’s not going to live, I’ll take her home and bury her if she dies. And if she does live, I’ll take her home and take care of her. But we’re going to try.”
At UK, there were tests, so many tests. Unlike most babies, Wessa couldn’t lie on her back, so she was always on her stomach. No one could hold her. Every time surgeons tried to close her spine, brain fluid would drain and the covering would burst open again. Juanita and Booker were told to call loved ones and have them come to the hospital more than once because doctors expected that Wessa was about to die. Juanita took photos of everything, no matter how jarring and graphic Wessa’s wounds were, because, she said, “I knew it was all I would have.”
Even after Wessa survived five surgeries and was discharged from the hospital after three months, no one expected a day might come when Wessa would be 6 years old and attend the Daytona 500. Specialists told Juanita and Booker that Wessa would live a year, maybe two. When they linked up with Make-A-Wish for the trip to Daytona in 1998, Juanita and Booker told each other how lucky they were to have even made it this far with their daughter. As they talked with Wessa before making the 750-mile drive from Kentucky, Juanita clearly remembers asking Wessa whether she had anything she wanted to bring to her favorite driver so that he might always remember her.
“She kept saying, ‘I want to give him a penny,'” Juanita said. “I don’t know why. She just kept saying that’s what she wanted.”
Booker and Juanita handed over a penny. But over the course of the drive through Virginia and Tennessee and the Carolinas and Georgia, Wessa — as little girls often do — dropped it in the car and lost it. Booker and Juanita gave her another one and, well, she lost that one too.
So, they gave her a third. (This was back when change was in everyone’s cup holder.) Wessa managed to hold on to that one until Saturday afternoon in the conference room, and Juanita has always loved that it ended up that way. She likes the symbolism, likes that the coin Wessa gave Earnhardt was actually her third lucky penny.
Why? Because of Earnhardt’s car number.
The No. 3.
EARNHARDT CRIED WHEN he won the next day. His nickname was “The Intimidator,” but even he admitted that, as he circled the track on the last lap, “My eyes watered up.” Sitting with her parents on the backstretch of the oval, Wessa’s emotions were overflowing, too.
“I think they both got their wish,” Juanita said. “She got hers and Dale got his.”
In that moment, the Millers had no idea Earnhardt had glued the penny to his dashboard. They only knew what they had seen: Earnhardt leading for 107 laps including the last 61. Earnhardt zooming his car inside and outside, squeezing into tiny gaps like they were freeways. Earnhardt somehow avoiding all the bad breaks and unlucky moments that had dogged him for two decades as 185,000 fans went delirious with joy.
Juanita and Booker loved it. Their little girl had been able to go to a race and see her favorite driver finally win the trophy that meant more to him than any other. They screamed as Earnhardt did a doughnut on the infield in celebration. They shouted as dozens of men on the other teams’ pit crews climbed over the retaining wall to clap for Earnhardt and congratulate him.
Then, as Earnhardt headed inside to talk to the media and celebrate some more, they headed toward the track exits. There was more to do. They wanted to take full advantage of their trip, unsure how many more there would be.
“We drove to Disney World,” Juanita said. “Wessa wanted to meet Mickey, too.”
ONE CHILLY MORNING last month, Juanita made ham biscuits. She wrapped the biscuits in paper towels and handed them out as she chattered to me and Booker about Thanksgiving and the construction on the road that winds past their slender, one-story house in Phyllis, a sliver of a community tucked into the Cumberland Mountains of eastern Kentucky.
Then Juanita turned to her daughter.
“Wessa,” she said. “Do you need anything?”
Wessa smiled and shook her head. “No, Mama.”
Wessa is 34 years old now. Thirty-four. The doctors still tell Juanita they can’t believe it. Wessa has had 22 more surgeries over the years, and her health is, as Juanita put it, “up and down.” When Wessa was 10, she began having seizures and was diagnosed with epilepsy. At 12, she was diagnosed with a Chiari malformation, a condition where brain tissue extends into the spinal canal — a condition that Juanita said affected Wessa physically but also cognitively, impacting her memory and attentiveness.
Now, Wessa swallows a dozen pills and watches as Juanita changes her catheter four times per day. She averages one or two epileptic seizures each week, episodes that are sometimes frightening, her body locking up as she tips back in her chair. In a recent procedure, she had most of her teeth removed because of issues with her mouth and gums. Lately, her shoulder has been bothering her. “Mama,” she whispered as Juanita cleaned up the biscuits. “It hurts.” Juanita got her an Advil and rubbed her arm.
Juanita and Booker still take the same approach with Wessa as they always have: They do things right up until the moment she can’t anymore, and they revel in all of it. Juanita’s photo books overflow: Wessa going to grade school and high school and sitting in her chair with a sash and a tiara because she was voted homecoming queen one year. Wessa at her cousin’s football game. Wessa lying on a dolly next to Booker as he works on a car. “She’d get up there and help me change the oil,” Booker told me. He was proud.
Wessa’s speech can be slow and halting at times, but her mind is sharp. She remembers names and dates and faces better than most. Juanita is sometimes still surprised in the mornings when she comes into Wessa’s purposely darkened bedroom to help her out of bed and Wessa will already know whether it’s a nice day out. “She tells by how much light comes in under the crack in her door,” Juanita told me.
Wessa’s laugh is contagious, too. Years ago, on their first airplane flight to visit Juanita’s family in Florida, Wessa was stunned by how high in the air they were and turned to her grandmother as the plane rose above the clouds. “I said, ‘Grandma, where’s Jesus at?'” she said through a grin. “She told me, ‘Honey, you have to go far beyond to see him!'” Booker and Juanita roared.
Wessa’s room is filled with posters and pictures and cards and knickknacks. Most have to do with her family, Earnhardt and other NASCAR drivers, or the Bible (her bedspread has the verse from John 3:16 on it), as well as — of course — pennies.
Earnhardt mentioned Wessa’s lucky penny being glued to his dash in his postrace comments in 1998, and it was the beginning of a true connection between Wessa and Earnhardt. He invited the family to a race at Bristol Motor Speedway a month later, then told them he wanted to meet them at one of his car dealerships, where he gave them a new van to help them take Wessa to all her doctor’s appointments. Wessa picked a blue one. “My favorite color,” she says.
Even after Earnhardt died in a crash in 2001 (Wessa went to the funeral), the story of her penny kept growing in NASCAR lore. Fans sent her Earnhardt shirts or hats or pictures as gifts, not to mention handfuls of pennies. Strangers dropped by the house and left No. 3 jackets or sweatshirts. David Poole, a longtime reporter for The Charlotte Observer who wrote about Wessa and became a family friend, started a charity, Pennies for Wessa, that raised enough money to replace the Earnhardt van once it conked out after nearly 200,000 miles. When Poole died in 2009, Wessa went to his funeral too.
In 2018, Juanita and Booker took over a classic country store located right next to their house in Phyllis. They called it Wessa’s, and the sign out front proclaimed it, “Home of the Lucky Penny.” There was an “Intimidator” burger on the deli menu — three half-pound patties plus Swiss, bacon and barbecue sauce — as well as “Wessa fries,” which came with cheese, bacon bits and ranch.
Sometimes, as a joke, Juanita put a giant cardboard standup of Earnhardt in the restroom to surprise customers (“Wessa would laugh,” she said), and as she showed me the store and we walked past the ice cream freezer, Juanita stopped at the cash register near the front door. The register was on top of a counter, and you could see a picture beneath the glass of Wessa and Earnhardt from that first meeting in the conference room. Pennies surrounded the photo, hundreds of them that customers had left, creating a sort of beautiful, copper-colored mural that stretched the entire length of the cabinet.
“We have a different outlook on pennies,” Juanita told me. “It was always, heads up, pick it up, tails up, leave it down. But then I seen a thing that said, ‘Pennies was a blessing from heaven,’ and I thought, boy, that is true. So even if it’s tails up, I still pick it up.”
JUST A FEW months ago, Juanita and Wessa loaded the van and drove to the Richard Childress Racing Museum in Welcome, North Carolina. Earnhardt’s car from 1998 is on display there, and Juanita lifted Wessa out of her chair so she could peer inside. She saw the harness and the switches and, also the pennies that visitors flip through the window onto the driver’s seat as a sort of 425-horsepower wishing well. She saw her penny, still stuck to the dashboard, just below the steering wheel.
“I thought it would have already fallen off,” Wessa exclaimed, and Juanita shook her head and held her closer. Some glue is strong.
The Millers don’t take as many trips as they once did. In addition to Wessa’s health demands, Booker retired from working in the coal mines after 47 years and is enduring constant lung issues, while Juanita came through her own thyroid cancer and now spends most of her days taking care of everyone else. She closed the store two years ago so she could help her mother, who has dementia.
Juanita relies on Wessa, who is devoted to Facebook and spends hours on her phone each day, to keep her updated on what’s going on in the world. Weather, war, politics — whatever comes across her feed. But when stories about production of the penny being stopped were all over the internet for a day, that news rippled differently. How could it not?
Dale is gone. David Poole is gone. The penny is nearly gone.
Wessa is still here.
She isn’t mad about what we all think about the penny. She gets it. She just sees it differently. When I told her I had a gift for her and offered her a penny that I had brought from home, her face lit up. She reached into her pocket.
“Pennies,” Wessa whispered to me, “are the best thing ever,” as she pushed one of her own into the palm of my hand.
Covered the Lakers and NBA for ESPNLosAngeles.com from 2009-14, the Cavaliers from 2014-18 for ESPN.com and the NBA for NBA.com from 2005-09.
THE GRANDIOSE 8,000-SQUARE-FOOT Manhattan Beach mansion that Luka Doncic purchased this past offseason from tennis star Maria Sharapova, cementing his new home in Los Angeles, was designed with a minimalist motif.
Tall walls of bare concrete, massive glass doors and black metal accents in the five-bedroom residence guide dwellers through an open floor plan, with plenty of balconies and curated outdoor spaces to take in the pristine Pacific Ocean view.
Tucked inside the basement, there is a premium man cave amenity that doubles as an irresistible lure for competition junkies: a two-lane bowling alley.
The pins and wooden planks might not seem like an architectural fit with the rest of the home’s interior, but it serves an important purpose: something to sustain Doncic’s legendary competitive drive, even when he’s off the floor.
So when a text from Doncic popped up on Austin Reaves‘ phone on an off night in early December, inviting the Lakers guard to visit Doncic’s place, the itinerary was not just to turn on League Pass, eat dinner and shoot the breeze.
There would, of course, be competition involved.
“He was like, ‘Come over. We’re bowling,'” Reaves told ESPN.
Reaves made the 10-minute drive to his teammate’s crib, where he found not only Doncic, but two of Doncic’s friends, plus Lakers assistant coach Greg St. Jean and L.A.’s head video coordinator, Michael Wexler, awaiting his arrival.
Three-man teams were formed. Games were played. Scores were kept.
“But it all really came down to the 1-on-1 at the end,” Reaves said.
This is where Reaves’ and Doncic’s accounts of the night diverge.
“I won,” Doncic told ESPN.
“We bowled for, I think, maybe three games,” Reaves said. “And, yeah, I’m 3-0.”
“I’m sure he said he won,” Doncic said when informed of Reaves’ answer.
With no wiggle room to further protest Reaves, short of calling him a liar, Doncic took a different tact.
“I let him, you know, get comfortable,” Doncic said. “It was his first time in the house, so I let him get comfortable.”
And so goes the relationship between the Lakers’ starting backcourt mates.
Equal parts sarcastic and real, Doncic and Reaves’ budding bromance has set the tone for a Lakers team that has shot up to No. 4 in the Western Conference standings to begin the season, despite LeBron James missing more than half of L.A.’s games because of injuries.
Perhaps most importantly, it has established a culture for a Lakers group that appears to be as close knit as they come.
“We all know we have love for each other, but we can still be each other’s biggest critics,” Lakers rookie Adou Thiero told ESPN. “You always hear Austin and Luka, they’re always going back and forth about who is better at what. Oh, ‘You suck at this,’ ‘You suck at that,’ but you get on the court and … they’re sticking together, we’re all sticking together.”
WHILE DONCIC AND Reaves shared some success on the court last season — the Lakers were 16-10 when the duo played together — they didn’t have much of a relationship off of it.
“Bron said that he acted like I acted my rookie year: never talked,” Reaves said. “Kind of just stayed to himself. Which is understandable. I mean, with the crazy events that happened, you know it’s going to take time to get used to a new situation.”
After spending the first 5 ½ years of his career in Dallas, Doncic gravitated toward people he already knew when he first got to L.A., sources told ESPN.
He worked out with St. Jean, who previously had been an assistant for the Mavs. He sat near Maxi Kleber, who was included in the deal for Anthony Davis.
He conversed with coach JJ Redick, who had been his teammate, briefly, in Dallas and whom he had stayed in touch with as Redick embarked on a media career. (“I really respect him,” Doncic said of Redick during his introductory press conference. “You don’t see me go on podcasts. I went on his podcast twice.”)
And he would get most animated when he was around Dorian Finney-Smith, another former teammate with the Mavs, whom L.A. acquired in a trade a couple months before Doncic’s arrival.
A typical interaction would start with Doncic teasing Finney-Smith about his belly button being an “outie,” and Finney-Smith sparring right back by wondering how Doncic could be slower than him when he was six years younger.
Even after the disappointment of the Lakers’ first-round playoff loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves — a series in which a stomach bug derailed Doncic in Game 3 and Reaves missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer that would have forced overtime in Game 4 — the duo still hadn’t developed a connection.
So when Doncic signed a $165 million extension in August and celebrated the occasion by going on a trip with teammates, coaches and staffers to a Backstreet Boys concert at The Sphere in Las Vegas, Reaves missed a perfect opportunity to become closer with the Lakers’ new poster boy.
While Doncic was belting out the lyrics to “I Want It That Way,” Reaves was overseas, fulfilling an endorsement obligation for his signature Rigorer sneakers.
At the end of the night, Doncic posted to Instagram, showing him and a handful of teammates dressed in white for the show and going backstage, where he autographed one of his trading cards for Nick Carter and made a reel where it appeared he was deep in conversation with Brian Littrell — only for the camera to pan out and show the 5-foot-7 Littrell needing to kneel on top of a ping pong table to be eye level with the 6-foot-8 Doncic.
Wanting to show support, even from afar, Reaves posted a congratulatory message in response.
It didn’t take long for Doncic to see it.
“He slid [in my direct messages] and was like, ‘Thanks for coming to Vegas,'” Reaves recalled.
Reaves sent back a selfie from Xiamen, China.
“I could tell, like, the joking spirit that he had,” Reaves said. “Like, it was, just, a breath of fresh air. I could tell at that moment that we were going to have a good relationship.”
And Doncic’s response to the selfie? “I said he’s too big [for me],” Doncic said. “He’s selling shoes in China now.”
With their personalities beginning to mesh off the floor, they both knew the next step needed to be meshing their similar games on it.
Both players are three-level scorers and creators who thrive with the ball in their hands.
While their overlapping skill sets could have created tension over who would have control of the offense, the 27-year-old Reaves and 26-year-old Doncic have worked together seamlessly — which was especially important with James sidelined all of training camp, preseason and the first 14 games because of sciatica.
When the Lakers coaching staff huddled over the summer, whatever concerns they had about how to maximize each player without undercutting either of them quickly subsided.
“It helps so much that they both look to pass,” a Lakers coach told ESPN.
That trust in their fundamentals informs the offensive system the Lakers put in place.
“A lot of the, ‘How do we make this work’ was utility plays and then not overthinking like, ‘Oh, we got to run all this action,'” Redick said. “It’s like, ‘No, let’s get the ball to the best players and try to create advantages that way through a very simple system.’ We don’t have to overcomplicate things.”
So far, that simplicity has reaped considerable rewards. Doncic’s and Reaves’ combined scoring average of 61.4 points per game is the second-most by a duo in the last 60 years, according to ESPN Insights. James Harden and Russell Westbrook combined for 61.6 points per game in 2019-20.
They both constantly pressure defenses and draw fouls when they do. The Lakers lead all teams in points per direct drive per game, which is fueled by Reaves, who ranks first among all players with at least 200 drives this season. Doncic is second, according to GeniusIQ.
Doncic leads the league in free throw attempts per game, while Reaves is fourth. They are in range to become the first teammates to each average 9.0 or more free throw attempts per game since Harden and Dwight Howard did so for the Houston Rockets in 2013-14.
While they have joint command of the offense — in the games they’ve played together, Doncic and Reaves have scored or assisted on 288 of the 402 shots the Lakers have made (72%) — they’ve both had stretches where they’ve starred solo.
Doncic, for his part, scored 92 points in the Lakers’ first two games of the season.
After the second game — in which Doncic scored 49 points on 14-for-23 shooting, corralled 11 rebounds and dished out 8 assists in the Lakers’ 128-110 win over the Timberwolves — Reaves told ESPN that he thought Doncic could average 40 for the whole season.
When Doncic was told of Reaves’ opinion, he issued his own.
“Austin’s stupid,” he said.
Doncic then sat out the Lakers’ next three games with a left finger sprain and lower left leg contusion, and it was Reaves’ turn.
He averaged 40 points, 10 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 2.3 steals while guiding L.A. to a 2-1 record, punctuating the stretch with a game-winning floater at the buzzer to secure another victory against that same Wolves team that had ended their season a few months back.
If Doncic wasn’t sold on Reaves by that point, watching him dominate — and win — while he and James were in street clothes more than did it.
“He’s realizing, ‘F—, Austin is good!'” a team source told ESPN. “It was the same way he loved [Jalen] Brunson and loved Kyrie [Irving]. There’s an appreciation for great players.”
Luka Doncic on if he can average 40 points per game this season: “That’s going to be tough …” I followed up by saying that Austin Reaves told me he thinks he could. Luka, with a big smile: “Austin’s stupid.” pic.twitter.com/jnLjKfe4CE
THE COMPETITION BETWEEN the two knows no bounds. And neither does the incessant ribbing.
“I saw that we had — I don’t love saying this — many similarities in how we like to compete in all different things,” Reaves said. “Not just basketball. Whatever. Cards, bowling, darts … which he hasn’t beaten me at either.”
Reaves doesn’t watch football, but he picked the Minnesota Vikings in Week 15 in a wager against his teammate, just because he wanted Doncic’s beloved Dallas Cowboys to lose.
While they each are loath to concede any ground to the other, Reaves admits that Doncic is the favorite in foosball, and Doncic isn’t trying to see Reaves on the golf course.
“I’m ducking him,” Doncic said. “I can’t golf.”
Where they both agree, though, is what the Lakers need to do to be real contenders in the West.
Despite the Lakers’ 19-9 start, they rank 24th in defense. The Oklahoma City Thunder and the Detroit Pistons, which sit atop the West and East standings, respectively, rank No. 1 and No. 2.
“For the start of the season, I was playing great defense,” Doncic, who is hoping to play on Christmas Day after dealing with a left calf contusion, told ESPN. “Trying to get back to that.”
Reaves, who recently missed three games with a mild left calf strain before coming off the bench Tuesday in Phoenix, agrees.
“I think we just got to get healthy and log minutes together and guard with all five guys on the court,” he said. “You have to be locked into every little detail, every little rotation. When you do that, that’s when you become a good defense.”
It figures to be a season-long challenge for this Lakers team, especially with the roster as presently constructed.
But it’s one that Doncic and Reaves won’t shy away from. And one in which Doncic and Reaves can channel their competitive spirits together — including on Thursday against the dynamic Houston Rockets.
Meanwhile, their relationship continues to grow.
Reaves has been back to Doncic’s house for additional rounds of bowling since their initial playdate — not a small gesture, or typical. (Consider Derek Fisher famously told GQ in 2010 that he’d never been to Kobe Bryant’s house in the nearly 15 years since joining the Lakers together as rookies in 1996.) And they used another recent off night to sit courtside for a South Bay Lakers game to cheer on Thiero and some of their other younger teammates.
“We act like we’re probably 10-year old best friends,” Reaves said. “You have a deeper care for one another than just basketball. And then that bleeds into basketball, because you don’t want to let that person down. … You don’t want to not give it your all.”
Doncic said: “We kind of understand each other — what the other is going to do. So I would say it’s a little bit natural.”
Still, whenever earnestness begins to creep in, they’re just as quick to revert back.
“I tell him all the time, I’m like, ‘Yo, you got to grow up,'” Reaves said. “And he’s like, ‘The day I grow up, fight me, because I never want to grow up.’
As you might expect, things have been relatively quiet on the deals front since Black Friday, particularly when it comes to discounts on charging accessories. Thankfully, Anker’s aptly titled Laptop Power Bank is once again on sale at Amazon and Walmart for $87.99 ($47 off), which matches the record-low price we last saw at the end of November.
Unless you’ve been living under a proverbial rock for the past several years, you’re probably aware that Anker makes an ungodlyamount of charging accessories. The portable A1695 “InstaCord” has quickly become a favorite among Verge staffers, however, owing to the fact that it comes with a retractable USB-C cable and a second that doubles as a handle, both of which are bidirectional and allow for passthrough charging. The 25,000mAh / 90Wh power bank also sports a USB-A port and an additional USB-C port, allowing you to charge your phone, a MacBook Pro, and up to two other devices simultaneously.
In terms of output distribution, Anker’s 600-gram Laptop Power Bank can deliver up to 165W when two devices are plugged in, or up to 130W when charging three or four gadgets. It’s carry-on compliant, too, meaning you shouldn’t have any trouble getting it through TSA while traveling, which isn’t the case if your charger is above the agency’s 100 watt-hours threshold for carry-on devices. It even features a built-in LCD display, allowing you to quickly view the remaining charge, overall power output, battery temperature, and other info at a glance.
Taylor Swift Shares Sweet Moment With Jason Kelce, Kylie Kelce’s Daughters at Chiefs Game
The Kelce family’s fame has reached new heights.
In fact, amid the added attention brought to Jason Kelce amid his retirement from the Philadelphia Eagles in 2024, the 38-year-old admitted that the spotlight has changed the way him and wife Kylie Kelce navigate the world with their four daughters Wyatt, 6, Elliotte, 4, Bennett, 2, and Finnley, 9 months.
“You know, I’m all over television, and my face, in particular, is much more out there,” Jason said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal published Dec. 22. “In a lot of ways, going out into public is much different for not just me but my wife, my whole family.”
Indeed, Jason—who has been married to Kylie since 2018—and his brother Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, have been thrust into the spotlight amid their New Heights podcast and the younger Kelce brother’s relationship with fiancée Taylor Swift.
Price: $19.95 (as of Dec 24, 2025 18:43:33 UTC – Details)
From the brand
Magnesium
Mushrooms
Healthy Aging
New Products
Product Dimensions : 2.5 x 2.5 x 6.75 inches; 1 Pounds Date First Available : July 3, 2020 Manufacturer : Double Wood Supplements ASIN : B0DLX1LMMQ Best Sellers Rank: #10,211 in Health & Household (See Top 100 in Health & Household) #69 in Collagen Supplements Customer Reviews: 4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars (3,638) var dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction; P.when(‘A’, ‘ready’).execute(function(A) { if (dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction !== true) { dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction = true; A.declarative( ‘acrLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault”: true }, function (event) { if (window.ue) { ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } } ); } }); P.when(‘A’, ‘cf’).execute(function(A) { A.declarative(‘acrStarsLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault” : true }, function(event){ if(window.ue) { ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } }); }); PREMIUM HYDROLYZED LIQUID COLLAGEN (TYPES 1 AND 3, GRASSFED): Expertly formulated with 2,500mg of Hydrolyzed Bovine Collagen Peptides per serving, our liquid collagen provides essential support for your body’s natural collagen production. Each bottle contains 32 full servings of this powerful beauty and wellness supplement, making it easy to maintain your daily collagen routine COMPLETE BEAUTY SUPPORT: Experience the transformative benefits of our liquid collagen + biotin combination. With 30mcg of biotin per serving, this dynamic duo works together to support healthy hair growth, strengthen nails, and support radiant, youthful-looking skin. Our formula is specifically designed to combat the natural decline of collagen production as we age ADVANCED ABSORPTION: Unlike pills or powders, our liquid collagen formula is designed for maximum bioavailability. The hydrolyzed collagen peptides are broken down into smaller, easily absorbable molecules, allowing your body to put these vital proteins to work immediately for optimal results ROOTED IN QUALITY: Manufactured and Tested in the USA from Globally Sourced Ingredients. Double Wood’s Liquid Collagen is manufactured and tested for safety right here in the USA from Globally Sourced Ingredients. Plus, they are Vegetarian safe, Non-GMO and gluten-free WE BOTTLE WELLNESS: At Double Wood we provide pure, potent supplements that deliver exceptional value, all backed by careful sourcing and rigorous third-party testing
Customers say
Customers find the collagen powder dissolves easily in coffee and appreciate its flavorless taste. The product receives positive feedback for its quality, value, and effectiveness, with customers noting improvements in joint pain and seeing results. Moreover, they report positive effects on hair and nail growth, with nails growing stronger and faster, and improvements in skin appearance.
It’s that time of year again: Let’s look at the past 12 months in women’s soccer and pick the best of the best. It’s now our fifth year of polling experts and putting together a list of the top 50 players in the world for ESPN FC Women’s Rank, and it only gets more competitive each year.
The list this year reflects how much the landscape in the sport keeps changing. Fourteen players made their debuts on our top 50, seven have landed back on the list after missing out last year, and the race for the top spot was probably closer than you think.
The marquee event of the past year was the UEFA Women’s Euro in Switzerland, which set new attendance records and the most goals ever scored for the tournament. It served up a thrilling rematch of the 2023 World Cup final between England and Spain, only this time it was England who came out on top after going to penalty kicks.
The UEFA Champions League trophy earlier this year was finally wrestled from powerhouses Barcelona and Lyonnes, who have combined to win the nine prior European titles. Instead, Arsenal were the surprise winners, marking the first Champions League win for an English team since 2007. (The 2025-26 UWCL season is underway in the league phase, and again Barcelona and Lyonnes are being chased.)
In the U.S., Gotham FC repeated as NWSL champions as the landscape around the American league expanded. The USL Super League completed its inaugural season with Tampa Bay Sun FC becoming the league’s first champion, and north of the border the Northern Super League made its debut.
The women’s game is rapidly growing, which made narrowing down ESPN FC Women’s Rank to 50 names harder than ever before, even after the absences of players from last year’s ranking cleared some space. Notably absent this year: Naomi Girma (No. 2 last year; injured most of this year), Sophia Wilson (No. 5 last year; pregnant this year), Lauren James (No. 10 last year; injured much of this year); and Mallory Swanson (No. 15 last year, pregnant this year).
Twenty-five current and former coaches for top-tier clubs or national teams, general managers, analysts and journalists were asked to anonymously pick their top 50 players of 2025. In all, 198 different players earned votes, and this is the final top 50.
Presenting ESPN FC Women’s Rank: The final top 50
Written by Emily Keogh, Jeff Kassouf, Yash Thakur, Tom Hamilton and Sam Marsden. All stats provided by ESPN Global Research.
What best reflects Smith’s inclusion is the extraordinary effort Arsenal made to secure her signature for a then-world record fee of £1 million last summer. You have to be a rare talent to justify such a transfer fee and the Gunners’ determination to bring in the Canada international stemmed from her seven goals and impressive performances during her first breakout year in the WSL, where she not only led Liverpool in scoring, but also swept both the Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year awards.
Smith is a fine dribbler and can create goals out of nothing, while she ranks fifth in the WSL for shot-creating actions per 90 minutes (4.95). Her impact is impossible to ignore, and her rapid rise made her one of the most sought-after talents in the league. — Keogh
Stat to know: Her eight goals and 42 shots (14 on target) this calendar year in the Women’s Super League leads these offensive categories among all players 21 years old or younger.
Country: Brazil Club: Kansas City Current Age: 34 Position: Midfielder 2024 Rank: 26 (▼ 23 spots)
Peak Debinha returned in 2025, and she was a major reason why the Kansas City Current smashed NWSL records. Now 34, Debinha was one of the focal points of the Current’s attack even while dealing with some minor injuries.
She continues to reinvent herself weekly as she shifts from a forward role to attacking midfield and wider areas. The Brazilian is precise on free kicks, clinical on the counterattack and has the vision to do the unthinkable. — Kassouf
Stat to know: Debinha has 2.03 goals above expected, the seventh highest mark in the NWSL this season. Of the six players with a higher GAE than her, only Esther Gonzales (0.15) had a higher xG per shot than Debinha (0.14).
Country: Australia Club: Arsenal Age: 31 Position: Center back/fullback 2024 Rank: N/A (★ reentry)
Catley played a vital role in Arsenal’s defensive resilience last season and ranked in the club’s top four for total passes completed (1,118). Although not her preferred position, she transitioned to center back from left back early in the season, where her composure under pressure, precision in tackles and clearances, and her ability to read the game, elevated Arsenal’s back line throughout their European run.
That consistency and adaptability ultimately earned her a Ballon d’Or nomination, a spot on our list and widespread global recognition for outstanding defensive performances. — Keogh
Stat to know: She is the only player in this calendar year with zero errors leading to shot and goals in the Women’s Super League.
Chawinga has continued to impress after moving to OL Lyonnes from Wuhan Jianghan University, after a series of loan spells, in the summer of 2024. And she now leads the goal contributions chart for OL Lyonnes in the league, with four goals and three assists this season.
The Malawi winger is excellent in transitions — she ranked second for progressive carries in the French top division last season, with 56 — and in 1-v-1 situations, often beating her opponents with her pace and skill. She will be a key figure for her country’s first-ever Women’s AFCON next year. — Thakur
Stat to know: She is second in the Première Ligue season in goal contributions with nine (six goals and three assists).
Big-spending Chelsea boast one of the most stacked squads in Europe, but while Cuthbert doesn’t take many headlines, she has shown time and again that she is the heartbeat of the club’s midfield. Her level of commitment and work rate is incredible; few players show such unwavering loyalty, and even fewer are willing to hurl themselves into tackles and duels to ensure their side emerges on top.
Even on days when Chelsea underperform, Cuthbert often remains one of the highest-rated players on the pitch, with her consistency and resilience rarely shaken. Having played a pivotal role in the treble-winning season — as well as in every title-winning campaign that preceded it — the Scotland international is undeniably one of the best midfielders in the WSL. — Keogh
Stat to know: Her 6.6 recoveries per game is the third most among midfielders in this Women’s Super League. She also created 15 chances and 1.99 expected assists this season — both are the second most among midfielders.
One of the most valuable and underrated players in the game, the 35-year-old has been a stalwart for Arsenal and helped guide the club to their first UEFA Women’s Champions League triumph in 18 years.
As captain, she is the central cog in the Gunners’ engine room in midfield, able to dictate tempo, shape transitions and ensure tactical cohesion. Although often described as a quiet, understated leader, her influence is visible in both her composure — she ranks second this season for pass completion, 89.5% — and work rate. Without Little’s consistency, intelligence and unwavering presence, Arsenal would not have progressed as far as they did last season. — Keogh
Stat to know: Her 64.9% duel success percentage and her 90.4% pass success percentage were both the highest among midfielders with at least 20 games played in the 2024-25 Women’s Super League.
Harder is back to her best after a series of injury worries. The 33-year-old is key in the final third and led Bayern for goals (14) last season, helping them clinch back-to-back league titles, while she hit double digits in the league for the first time since the 2020-21 season.
The Denmark captain also works hard off the ball — she ranked in the top five for touches in the opposition penalty box (113) and tackles in the final third (14) in the Frauen-Bundesliga last season — has an innate understanding of space, and can progress up field quickly when possession is regained. Her strong performances earned her a deserved Ballon d’Or nomination this year. — Thakur
Stat to know: She is tied for most UEFA Women’s Champions League goals this season with five. She has 45 goals in the last 10 UWCL seasons, the second most in that span.
Country: USA Club: Chelsea Age: 21 Position: Winger 2024 Rank: N/A (★ debut)
Thompson was arguably the best American player in the NWSL before Chelsea pulled her away from her hometown by paying Angel City a $1.4 million transfer fee. The fee from one of the world’s best teams speaks to Thompson’s unique ability as a dynamic winger, one who craves running at defenders in the open field and on the edge of the box.
Since not earning the call for last year’s Olympics, the 21-year-old Thompson has matured rapidly, and her finishing has grown more clinical. — Kassouf
Stat to know: Her 38.15 touches in the attacking third per 90 minutes played is the fourth best in Women’s Super League this season among players with at least nine matches.
While Diani wasn’t quite as productive as last season, she continued to impress in the UWCL with 10 goal contributions (six goals and four assists), including strong showings against Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Wolfsburg and AS Roma. She also scored a crucial goal in the league playoff final against her former side Paris Saint-Germain to help secure OL Lyonnes’ 18th league title.
The 30-year-old is effective in 1-v-1 situations on the flanks and although she can be a hit and miss in front of goal, she remains essential for Jonatan Giráldez’s side. — Thakur
Stat to know: 64% of her shots in Première Ligue this season have been on target, the sixth highest in the league.
Country: USA Club: Manchester United Age: 29 Position: Goalkeeper 2024 Rank: N/A (★ debut)
Could Tullis-Joyce be the next great American goalkeeper? She now has a WSL Golden Glove to her name and guided Manchester United to a spot in the UEFA Women’s Champions League.
She also might be the favorite for the USWNT’s No. 1 job as the 2027 World Cup approaches. Tullis-Joyce already had the shot-stopping ability. Now, she is adding confidence on the ball and finding her voice as a leader in pressure-packed settings. — Kassouf
Stat to know: Her 65.5% save percentage (19 saves from 29 shots on goal against) is the third best among goalkeepers with at least 10 games in the Women’s Super League this season.
The 35-year-old, who hasn’t made ESPN’s top 50 since we debuted Women’s Rank in 2021, returns after leading Italy to a shock place in the Euro 2025 semifinals this summer. She scored 50% of her country’s goals, including a brace against Norway to put them into the final four, and no player won more aerial duels (19) at the tournament.
Girelli also won the Serie A Golden Boot last season, with 19 goals (11 coming this calendar year) and helped Juventus reclaim their title for the first time since 2022. Her world-class aerial ability and linkup play makes her indispensable for club and country. — Thakur
Stat to know: She became the first Italian to score multiple goals in a UEFA Women’s Euro knockout stage match this summer. She had three goals in the Euro (only Spain’s Esther González had more with four), the most by any Italy player in a single edition of the competition.
Country: England Club: Chelsea Age: 28 Position: Midfielder 2024 Rank: 9 (▼ 30 spots)
She’s the heartbeat of England’s team, and a double Euros winner. Widely regarded as being one of the best players in the world in her position, Walsh sits just in front of England’s back four and dictates tempo.
It’s credit to her that teams have been working so hard to shut her down — they know that if they can get to Walsh, it will go a long way toward stopping the Lionesses from playing. While she helped Chelsea win their domestic treble last season, Walsh is looking to improve her efforts in one area: goals. Both Sarina Wiegman and Chelsea’s Sonia Bompastor are encouraging her to shoot more, and with her club side, they’re playing her farther forward to increase her threat in and around the box.
“The way I play defensive midfield it is more about breaking lines and trying to break presses, and contributing a little bit more in attack. I’m not known for my big tackles, although I am working on that,” Walsh said. “When it opens up, Sonia’s encouraged me to take the ball forward, and if I feel like a shot is on, then it’s being free to do that.” — Hamilton
Stat to know: She’s the only player to start all 10 of Chelsea’s matches this season in Women’s Super League.
López is established as a regular for club and country, but she is still battling to be considered an undisputed starter for both. At 19, time is on her side, but having made her Barcelona debut at 16, it feels like she is ready for more responsibility.
Technically gifted, with close dribbling skills and an eye for a defense-splitting pass, she is being slightly held back by two things. The first obstacle is that she is vying for a starting berth with the best players in the world. The second is she still doesn’t have her best position nailed down. Speaking at Euro 2025, where she scored once for Spain, she said she prefers to play from the left. For Barça, though, she is more commonly used on the right or as a central midfielder. — Marsden
Stat to know: She had 58 progressive carries this season in Liga F (the most in the competition) and 116 penalty area touches (also the most in Liga F).
Country: USA Club: Washington Spirit Age: 23 Position: Forward 2024 Rank: 8 (▼ 29 spots)
Yes, Rodman has battled injuries over the past year. They have limited, but not stopped the U.S. women’s national team star.
She needed a mere few minutes in her return in August to remind the world of her greatness when she scored a game-winning goal on a volley at the back post. Then came the pure emotion, which is also part of why Rodman is such a star. She’s great 1-v-1 and on the wings, she’s clinical in front of goal, she’s entertaining, and she just gets stuff done in a way that few others can. — Kassouf
play
0:54
Has injury cost Trinity Rodman her top 10 Women’s Rank spot?
Futbol W’s Cristina Alexander and Ali Krieger, along with Natalia Astrain, discuss Trinity Rodman’s slide from 8th to 37th in ESPN FC Women’s Rank.
Stat to know: Rodman averaged a 77.8% of aerial duels won this season per 90 minutes in NWSL (including playoffs), which ranks third by a Spirit player (among all positions).
Country: Scotland Club: Real Madrid Age: 30 Position: Midfielder/forward 2024 Rank: N/A (★ reentry)
Weir is back to her decisive best after an ACL injury kept her out for most of 2024. She returned to hit double digits for both goals and assists across the league and UWCL last year, and already has 10 goals and two assists this season.
A versatile forward who can play across the front line, she contributes heavily to Real Madrid’s front-footed defensive approach and her performances saw her become the first Scotland international to earn a nomination for Ballon d’Or. The 30-year-old scored a brace in Real Madrid’s fabulous 3-1 win over Barcelona in March 2025. She recently reached 100 games for her club with 53 goals and 33 assists, which means she averaged 0.86 goal contributions per game. — Thakur
Stat to know: Weir has outperformed her expected goals, or xG, by 3.2 in Liga F this season, which is the second highest goals above expected in the competition.
Cantore’s arrival in the NWSL was perfectly timed. She parlayed Italy’s Euro semifinal run into roaring success in her half-season with the Spirit, eventual NWSL Championship runners-up.
Cantore immediately linked up with Washington’s prominent attack and showed how audacious she is, including multiple backheel goals. Cantore’s game is where technique meets style. — Kassouf
Stat to know: Cantore ranked fifth on the Washington Spirit in possessions won in attacking third (10). She had an average carry distance of 6.7 meters, which ranked fifth on the team this season in NWSL (average meters carrying ball following pass received).
Heaps became the first American in the women’s game to go straight from high school to the pros as an 18-year-old joining PSG back in 2012, and she remains one of the standard-bearers for Americans abroad as a cerebral midfielder for OL Lyonnes.
Now, with a World Cup title and Olympic gold medal to her name, she’s the captain of the USWNT. Heaps is a pure soccer player, the type who wants the ball at her feet and the license to take risks. She can do that from multiple positions in midfield. — Kassouf
Stat to know: Her 108 passes ending in the opponent’s half is the most among midfielders in UEFA Women’s Champions League this season. Her 163 completed passes in the middle third in UWCL is the third most among midfielders this season.
Country: Sweden Club: Arsenal Age: 39 Position: Striker 2024 Rank: N/A (★ reentry)
Had Blackstenius not stepped into the role of Arsenal’s super-sub, the club almost certainly would not be European champions. The Sweden international scored only twice in the Champions League last season, but one of those goals became one of the most iconic moments in Arsenal’s modern history: The decisive winner against Barcelona in the final that ended an 18-year wait for European glory.
Blackstenius carried that clutch mentality into the domestic campaign as well. She scored five league goals, many of which came in crucial moments, and often after being introduced from the bench. Her ability to change the rhythm of a match and create chances out of nothing at exactly the right moment makes her one of Arsenal’s most reliable game changers. — Keogh
Stat to know: She has five goals in the Women’s Super league this season, tied for second most in the league. All 26 of her shots have come from inside the penalty area.
Country: USA Club: Gotham FC Age: 30 Position: Midfielder 2024 Rank: 44 (▲ 12 spots)
A healthy Rose Lavelle is arguably the best, most creative player in the U.S. women’s national team pool and in the NWSL — and a healthy Rose Lavelle is what we got in 2025 … eventually.
Lavelle started the year on the sidelines following ankle surgery, but by summer, she was back in peak form, gliding through opponents’ midfields and orchestrating the attack for Gotham FC and the USWNT. She did that in style for the U.S. against Canada, among others this year, and she scored the game-winning goal for Gotham in the NWSL Championship. — Kassouf
Stat to know: Lavelle became the fourth player to score for two different clubs in a NWSL Championship game. (She scored against Gotham in the 2023 final, playing for the Seattle Reign). She was named this year’s NWSL Championship MVP. At 30 years, 192 days, Lavelle is the oldest NWSL Championship MVP since Jess McDonald in 2018 with North Carolina.
Country: Spain Club: Barcelona Age: 34 Position: Center back 2024 Rank: 40 (▲ 9 spots)
When Paredes eventually retires, Barcelona and Spain will have a huge hole to fill because she remains essential to both teams’ defenses. She marshalled Barça to a domestic treble last season — and a narrow Champions League final defeat — and helped Spain reach the Euro 2025 final, where they lost to England.
Her authority, leadership and ability on the ball make her a leader in the back line, but her biggest strength is her aerial prowess — in both boxes. She regularly delivers key goals for club and country, including two already in the Champions League this season. Paredes turned 34 earlier this year, and does not look to be slowing down after penning a new contract with Barça until 2027. — Marsden
Stat to know: She is one of five players in Liga F with 100-plus progressive passes this season.
Country: England Club: Chelsea Age: 22 Position: Forward 2024 Rank: N/A (★ debut)
Beever-Jones ended last season with nine goals in the WSL, picked up three assists during the Champions League campaign, finished as Chelsea’s top scorer and ranked fifth in the Golden Boot race. She delivered a true breakout season since graduating from the academy.
With star striker Sam Kerr sidelined with a long-term injury, Beever-Jones had a golden opportunity to step into a larger role and prove she could be a regular in Sonia Bompastor’s starting XI. And she seized it with confidence. Her reliability, movement and clinical finishing quickly became essential to Chelsea’s unbeaten run, while she also earned her place in the England setup.
She netted a hat trick within 30 minutes during her first senior start at Wembley Stadium in the UEFA Nations League and was then named in the squad for her first major tournament at Euro 2025. And though she struggled for minutes, she ended the season as England’s top goal scorer with six goals in 10 games. — Keogh
Stat to know: She has nine Women’s Super League goals this calendar year; no other Chelsea player has more than five in that span. Her four game-winning goals in 2025 are tied for the most in the WSL in that span.
Country: England Club: Brighton (on loan from Arsenal) Age: 19 Position: Forward 2024 Rank: N/A (★ Debut)
In 2025, Agyemang has experienced just about every soccer emotion possible. The teenage striker scored just 41 seconds into her England debut in April, when she came off the bench against Belgium to score a remarkable volley. She was on loan at Brighton from Arsenal at the time, and her form forced her way onto the England squad for the Euros. There she scored a vital equalizer against Sweden in the quarterfinals, and then slotted another equalizer as a last-gasp 96th minute goal against Italy in the semifinal.
Her status as a Lioness heroine was then secure. “She has something special,” England coach Sarina Wiegman said. “She’s only 19 years old, she’s very mature, she knows exactly what she has to do.”
She was crowned Young Player of the Tournament at Euro 2025, but the year ended in heartbreak, as she picked up an ACL injury while on England duty against Australia in October. — Hamilton
Stat to know: Agyemang finds big scoring chances — she is one of three players in the Women’s Super League this season to average 0.25 xG per shot (minimum of 10 shots).
Coffey has emerged as the American regista, or deep-lying playmaker, bringing a level of sophistication to the position for the USWNT that we haven’t seen since the late glory days of Lauren Holiday. Even that is a stretch comparison, because Coffey is more of a proper No. 6 defensive midfielder.
She brings playmaking to the wrecking ball defensive prowess that Julie Ertz brought to the position. One executive in ESPN’s annual anonymous NWSL GM survey said Coffey is a top-five player in the world. She hasn’t landed quite so high in her debut on our list, but a higher ranking is there for the taking in the future. — Kassouf
Stat to know: Coffey led the NWSL with 206 recoveries. This was her second season with 200-plus recoveries (she had 202 in 2023). In the last three seasons, only two other players have recorded 200-plus recoveries twice.
Country: Japan Club: Manchester City Age: 28 Position: Midfielder 2024 Rank: 14 (▼ 13 spots)
Hasegawa has been one of the best midfielders in women’s soccer for a while. The Japan international was voted in the PFA Team of the Year for the third consecutive year and was also voted Manchester City’s Player of the Season in 2024-25. Her ability to influence games in all phases of play makes her a dream player for any manager.
This season under new Man City manager Nils Nielsen, she has been playing in a more advanced role, allowing her to influence play in the attacking third, and she has 15 touches in the opposition penalty box, just six less than her tally from last season. Meanwhile, no player has more through balls (5) or interceptions (17) in the WSL. — Thakur
Stat to know: Hasegawa gets it done on both sides of the pitch: She is one of three players in the Women’s Super League this season with 25-plus tackles, 15-plus interceptions and 50-plus progressive passes.
Country: Jamaica Club: Manchester City Age: 28 Position: Forward 2024 Rank: 6 (▼ 20 spots)
Consistently one of the most impressive strikers in the women’s game, Shaw once again underlined her elite status by claiming the WSL Golden Boot last season (alongside Alessia Russo) with an outstanding 12 goals in 14 appearances. Her impact is even more remarkable when you consider that she was sidelined for over a third of the campaign through injury, depriving Manchester City of their most reliable and explosive attacking option.
Comfortable scoring with her left foot, right foot, or head, the Jamaica international is tough to contain. Her physicality inside the penalty area regularly overwhelms defenders, forcing teams into making last-ditch tackles or fouls, cementing her reputation as one of Europe’s most formidable goal scorers. — Keogh
play
2:00
Is Bunny Shaw underrated because of Manchester City’s lack of success?
Alex Scott is joined by Lianne Sanderson, Nedum Onuoha and Fara Williams to debate whether Manchester City’s Bunny Shaw deserves to be higher in ESPN FC Women’s Rank.
Stat to know: She has the most shots (116), shots on goal (42), expected goals (20.54), game-winning goals (8) and game-result-changing goals (10) in WSL since last season.
The 25-year-old winger has spearheaded the attack for both club and country, consistently driving forward with the ball at her feet, and she helped Germany reach the semifinals of Euro 2025.
Between October and November, she recorded at least one goal contribution in 11 straight games for club and country between October and November this year, and has been clutch in big games, picking up three assists in Bayern’s 3-2 comeback win against Arsenal in the UWCL. The fact that she is the only player across Europe’s top five leagues to have 10-plus assists in the league (11) shows how important she is. — Thakur
Stat to know: She has 17 assists in 35 career UEFA Women’s Champions League, the second most in the tournament since the start of the 2020-21 season — only Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmatí (18 assists in 52 games) has more in this span.
Brand exploded onto the international scene this summer when she helped Germany reach the semifinals of Euro 2025. The 23-year-old recorded a goal contribution in all three group stage games, finishing the tournament with two goals and two assists.
Meanwhile, she continued to grow at OL Lyonnes after a big move from VfL Wolfsburg this summer. The electric winger is a threat with her speed and ball carrying, and she has added defensive steel and off-the-ball work rate to her toolbox. — Thakur
Stat to know: No player at Euro 2025 won more fouls (13) or tackles (12) than Brand.
Country: USA Club: Arsenal Age: 27 Position: Fullback 2024 Rank: 34 (▲ 11 spots)
The top-ranked American on our list joined elite company earlier this year as a UEFA Champions League winner. Fox became just the sixth American to win a UEFA Women’s Champions League title, and she did it as an integral part of the Arsenal defense that shut out Barcelona in the final.
Even beyond that, it’s safe to say her move abroad has been a smashing success, having earned a spot in the PFA Team of the Year, the UEFA Champions League Team of the Season and her first Ballon d’Or nomination. Fox has a legitimate case to being the top fullback in the world. — Kassouf
play
1:53
Why did no USWNT players make the top 20 of ESPN FC Women’s Rank?
Futbol W’s Cristina Alexander and Ali Krieger, alongside Natalia Astrain, discuss Emily Fox as the highest-ranked USWNT player in ESPN FC Women’s Rank.
Stat to know: Her 199 completed passes into attacking third is the second most in the Women’s Super League this season (after Mariona Caldentey with 292).
She is a manager’s dream given how she can adapt to different roles. As well as being able to play on the right or left of the back four, she is also able to be the classic overlapping fullback, which is how she is best known, or take on a slightly more defensive role.
For example, after left back Esmee Brugts was given more attacking freedom, Batlle has taken a step back, providing support for the defense and the midfield without losing her offensive edge. Disappointing defeats in the Champions League and Euro 2025 finals will likely spur her on to get even better over the next year, too. — Marsden
Stat to know: She is the defender with the most passes made in the attacking third in UEFA Women’s Champions League since the start of the last season with 225 passes (no other UWCL defender has more than 215 in this span).
Goalkeepers have the thankless task of being remembered for their mistakes. Berger is the exception as the keeper who both makes thrilling saves, even if she also takes risks on the ball.
There is seemingly no situation that makes Berger uncomfortable, even as she gets closed down by a pressing forward right in front of her own net. A backheel spin-turn? Sure. Follow it up with a fingertip save near the top corner? You bet. — Kassouf
Stat to know: Her 11 shutouts in the 2025 NWSL regular season were the second most by a goalkeeper, trailing only Kansas City’s Lorena, whose 14 shutouts were a league record. Berger kept a clean sheet in two playoff games this year, tying the record for most games without allowing a goal in a single postseason by a goalkeeper.
Country: Brazil Club: Orlando Pride Age: 39 Position: Forward 2024 Rank: 26 (▲ 6 spots)
This isn’t a name-recognition vote. For as long as Marta is playing, she belongs in the conversation among the world’s elite. At 39, the six-time world player of the year has the individual brilliance and magic that makes her the greatest of all time.
Go watch her dogged performance in November’s NWSL quarterfinal if you have any doubts — she still executes on a vision unlike any other player. There might have been questions about her future a few years ago, but a rejuvenated Marta looks ready to play a role for Brazil on home soil at the 2027 World Cup. — Kassouf
Stat to know: At 39 years old, Marta’s team-leading 39 chances created in the regular season were also tied for fourth most by any NWSL player. Since 2016, the only player 39 years or older to even come close to producing that many chances is Christine Sinclair, who had exactly 23 chances created in back-to-back years (2023, 2024).
Country: England Club: Arsenal Age: 27 Position: Forward 2024 Rank: N/A (★ debut)
If you need someone to deliver in a pressure moment, give Kelly a call. Her penalty run-up is iconic: the raised knee, the hop, the skip and then a rocket of a strike. After scoring the winner against Germany in the Euro 2022 final, Kelly was England’s heroine again in the Euros this summer.
Kelly teed up both equalizers against Sweden and then slotted a 119th minute winner against Italy — converting the rebound off her own saved penalty. And then came the moment against Spain, as she went through the familiar routine and hammered home the tournament-clinching penalty. “If that’s a story to tell someone who maybe experiences something the same, tough times don’t last,” Kelly said after the final. “Just around the corner was a Champions League final, won that. Then a Euros final, won that. Thank you to everyone that wrote me off, I’m grateful.”
That’s all that after a roller-coaster 2024-25 season where she spoke about how she was contemplating leaving the sport behind when in a tough spot with Manchester City and ended up winning the Champions League with Arsenal and starring for the Lionesses. — Hamilton
Stat to know: Her game-winning goal (at 118:53) against Italy in 2025 Euro semifinals is the latest game-winning goal in tournament history. She also scored the latest goal in Women’s Euro history, regardless of round or impact on the score.
Country: France Club: San Diego Wave FC Age: 28 Position: Winger 2024 Rank: 29 (⇔ ▲ 11 spots)
Cascarino made her name in Lyon, winning six UEFA Champions League crowns, and she brought all that magic to San Diego in her decision to leave France last year. Cascarino was the NWSL co-leader this season with six assists and finished fourth in the league in chances created (45), per TruMedia.
The 28-year-old is an electric winger in her prime who can dice up defenders on the wing and whip in sensational crosses. Cascarino recently showed just how important she is in those small-sided battles when she helped the Wave win the World Sevens title. — Kassouf
Stat to know: She was tied for most goals on her team this season. Though San Diego only played one game in the playoffs, what makes Cascarino’s play impressive is that she was one of two players in the NWSL this season with five-plus goals and five-plus assists in the regular season and playoffs.
Country: England Club: Arsenal Age: 28 Position: Center back 2024 Rank: N/A (★ reentry)
Williamson secured a unique place in English sporting history over the past year. Having skippered Arsenal to that incredible Champions League win over Barcelona, spearheading a defense that didn’t commit a single foul in the final, she then led England to their second Euros title in three years, becoming the first England soccer captain to win two major international trophies.
However, Williamson has barely played since, still recovering from a knee injury she picked up during the tournament. She’s been named in FIFPRO’s Women’s World 11 as she proved once again she is the complete defender: great in the air, an ability to split a team with a long-arching pass and a wonderful tackler. — Hamilton
Stat to know: Her 67% duel success percentage in the Women’s Super League was the third highest among English players with at least 15 games played in 2024-25.
Country: France Club: Chelsea Age: 25 Position: Fullback/winger 2024 Rank: N/A (★ debut)
Although Baltimore did not make headlines for her goals last season, she was vital to Chelsea’s domestic dominance, with her six assists provided creativity and drive to a team stacked with talent.
Capable of operating anywhere along the left flank as a winger, fullback, wing back, or midfielder, the France international consistently excelled in both attacking and defensive phases, giving Chelsea balance, width and control across the pitch while neutralizing opposition threats. She ranks highly among fullbacks for carries, progressive passes and overall involvement in build-up play. These qualities made her indispensable to the Blues’ record-breaking campaign. — Keogh
Stat to know: Only three more players have more “Big Chances Created” than Baltimore’s four in the Women’s Super League this season.
Graham Hansen has been one of the game’s most underrated players over the last decade, but 15th is probably about right this year based on her form. It was always going to be difficult to maintain the numbers she posted in 2023-24 (40 goal contributions in 25 Liga F games), but she remains good for a goal or an assist in nearly every game.
She is still capable of breezing past opponents, reaching the byline and creating something from nothing. Testament to that is the fact she remains an ever-present on the right wing for Spanish champions Barça and Norway, which she helped reach the quarterfinals of Euro 2025. — Marsden
Stat to know: She is one of five players with four-plus goals and four-plus assists in Liga F this season. Of those, Hansen (30) is the only one older than 23.
Country: Colombia Club: Real Madrid Age: 20 Position: Forward 2024 Rank: 11 (▼ 3 spots)
Caicedo has been one of the best young players in women’s soccer, finishing behind Barcelona’s Vicky Lopez for the inaugural Kopa Trophy (best U21 player) at the Ballon d’Or ceremony. She was at the forefront of Colombia’s charge to the Copa América final this summer, scoring and assisting in a thrilling final against Brazil, and finished the campaign with four goals.
The 20-year-old recently signed a long-term deal with Real Madrid, keeping her at the club until 2031, and has a knack of stepping up in big games. Indeed, she scored against Arsenal in the UWCL last season and assisted the winner in Madrid’s historic first El Clásico win over Barcelona in March. Caicedo finished the 2024-25 season with 14 goals and nine assists in all competitions, but she had the most completed take-ons (73) and progressive carries (124) in Liga F last season. — Thakur
Stat to know: Caicedo averages 0.63 goal contributions per 90 minutes played this season in all club competitions, the third highest of any Real Madrid player.
Country: England Club: Chelsea Age: 34 Position: Fullback 2024 Rank: 27 (▲ 14 spots)
It’s rare that England manager Sarina Wiegman singles out a player for praise. So when she described Bronze as “one of a kind” after England’s nerve-wracking Euro 2025 win over Sweden, we took note. In that match, Bronze scored the first of England’s two goals, strapped up her own thigh in extra time, then untaped it seconds before slamming home a penalty in the shootout.
After England beat Spain in the tournament’s final, Bronze revealed she had played the whole tournament with a fractured tibia. “What defines her is that resilience, that fight,” Wiegman said. Bronze was instrumental as England won the Euros last summer and proved again why she is a modern great defender. — Hamilton
Stat to know: Last season, Bronze had five goal contributions in the Women’s Super League, which was tied for third most among all defenders. Of the five players with five-plus goal contributions, Bronze was the only one older than 29.
If you see Pina cutting in on her right foot and winding up to shoot, the chances are it’s too late to stop her. There are few better finishers in the game than the Barça forward, especially from distance, and she demonstrated that at Euro 2025 with two long rangers curled into the top corner. “It’s her trademark goal,” teammate Alexia Putellas told ESPN.
Now 24, and after time on loan at Sevilla and in and out of the Barça side, she has established herself on the left of the Catalan side’s attack. As she approaches the peak years of her career, the next challenge is to take her game to the next level by scoring more goals, making an impact in the big games and winning more trophies. — Marsden
Stat to know: She is one of three players with 20+ goals and 10+ assists in Liga F since the start of last season. She’s also the player with most shots (144) in Liga F since 2024-25.
Dumornay has grown in stature after bursting onto the scene as a 19-year-old at the 2023 Women’s World Cup for Haiti. Last season, she finished as OL Lyonnes’ top goal scorer in the French league with 15 goals even though she’s not a striker, helping them to win another title.
Her explosive brand of soccer, flair and ability to generate chances from nothing allows her to shine on the biggest stages. She was voted the UWCL Young Player of the Year and named in the UWCL Team of the Season in the 2024-25 season, while no U21 player had more goals (15) or goal contributions (21) across the top five European leagues last season. — Thakur
Stat to know: Last season, her 21 goal contributions in the French Première Ligue were the second most of any player.
Pajor has the killer scoring instinct Barcelona lacked. The Polish striker has a cutting edge in front of goal matched by very few in the game. That was on show in the 4-0 Clásico win over Real Madrid in November when she netted twice — and had two more goals ruled out. She managed an incredible 43 goals in her first season at Barça after joining from Wolfsburg, winning Liga F, the Copa de la Reina and the Supercopa de España, but losing in the Champions League final.
However, it’s her achievements internationally that made her 2025 so special. After leading Poland to their first European Championships, she scored in a 3-2 win over Denmark, marking a historic first win in the Euros for her country. — Marsden
Stat to know: She leads all players in UEFA Women’s Champions League with 20 goals over the last four seasons, and she is Barcelona’s top leading scorer in 2025-26 with 15 goals in 17 games (all competitions).
Banda’s 2025 season was cut short in 2025 due to injury, and her absence from the Orlando Pride further illustrated her importance. She has both the ability to be a hold-up forward who can combine with Marta and other playmakers, and a vertical forward who gets behind defenses who dare to play with a high line.
She’s equally capable of resourceful, effective finishes as she is an eye-popping, highlight-reel goal, and she is one of a few players in the NWSL right now whose name on or off the team sheet completely changes how an opponent needs to prepare. — Kassouf
Stat to know: Banda was ruled out for the season after suffering an injury on Aug. 16, but despite missing 10 regular-season games, she still finished as Orlando Pride’s top scorer with eight goals — four more than any other player.
Is there anything Esther doesn’t or can’t do? She’s the forward who drops between her center backs not out of desperation, but by design. She’s the shorter player who somehow rises to finish goals with her head regularly.
The Spanish international dragged Gotham through some tougher stretches this season, helping the squad win both the inaugural Concacaf W Champions Cup and the NWSL Championship. Esther nearly had an NWSL Golden Boot and a Euro title to go along with those honors, too. She’s a forward who is far more than just a goal scorer; Esther is a player who sees the game holistically.
After barely making our list in 2024, Esther earns the distinction of jumping the most places of anyone making back-to-back appearances on ESPN FC Women’s Rank. — Kassouf
Stat to know: González not only led Gotham FC in goals (13) in the 2025 regular season, but she scored in four straight games this year. That is the longest scoring streak by any player on Gotham FC since the team rebranded from Sky Blue FC in 2021. She also had 35.1% of Gotham’s goals, which was the highest goal share by any player in the NWSL this season.
Country: England Club: Chelsea Age: 25 Position: Goalkeeper 2024 Rank: N/A (★ debut)
This year, Hampton showed exactly why she deserved to win the inaugural Yashin Trophy at the 2025 Ballon d’Or. She picked up the WSL’s Golden Glove (alongside Man United’s Phallon Tullis-Joyce) during a treble-winning season for Chelsea and then helped England claim Euro 2025 with key performances in two penalty shootout victories — notably denying both Mariona Caldentey and Aitana Bonmatí in the final to secure the trophy.
She lands in our top 50 after undoubtedly her most assertive year yet, which reinforced her reputation as one of the most reliable goalkeepers around. Indeed, her performances were crucial to keeping Chelsea competitive across all fronts, and she produced decisive saves throughout the FA Cup and League Cup campaigns. She also started every game in the league and kept 13 clean sheets, conceding only 13 goals. — Keogh
Stat to know: She leads Women’s Super League this calendar year in clean sheets (11) and save percentage (83.3%).
Many people would tell you that Guijarro should be higher than sixth. Former Spain coach Montse Tomé says she’s “humble, hardworking and the best in her position in the world.” Teammate Vicky López says she is “underrated,” although that she can also be “complicated” to play with.
“She plays passes that only she sees, so sometimes you’re not even expecting them,” López explained in the summer. “She doesn’t make easy passes. Every pass is forward, with precision and meaning.”
In a world where goals and assists are valued most, Guijarro — who has also scored important goals in her career — sails under the radar as a deeper midfielder, but no one doubts how important she remains to Barcelona and Spain’s continued success. — Marsden
Stat to know: She’s the only player to average more than 100 touches per game in UEFA Women’s Champions League matches in 2025 (104.4).
Country: Malawi Club: Kansas City Current Age: 27 Position: Striker 2024 Rank: 19 (▲ 14 spots)
Back-to-back MVP honors for the first time in NWSL history and back-to-back Golden Boots rightfully land Chawinga among the top five players globally. No player in the NWSL, or arguably the world, changes games the way that Chawinga does.
In 2025, despite battling injury, she added a layer of consistency and maturity to her 15-goal output. Chawinga is the ultimate cheat code, especially on counterattacks, and she strikes fear in any defender. She’s a humble star, too, the type of forward willing to track back into her own box to defend as much as she is lurking around the opponent’s goal. — Kassouf
Stat to know: Chawinga led the NWSL with six game-winning goals in the regular season in 2025. Since she joined NWSL in 2024, her 35 goals in the regular season are 13 more than any other player.
Country: England Club: Arsenal Age: 26 Position: Forward 2024 Rank: N/A (★ reentry)
Russo has cemented her place among the elite soccer players of her generation. Her impact last season was immense, and she played a pivotal role in guiding Arsenal to their first Champions League triumph in 18 years — finishing with the second-highest goal tally in the competition. She repeatedly delivered when it mattered, showcasing a rare blend of technical sharpness and composure.
Russo’s versatility makes her especially valuable. Her ability to operate both as a traditional striker and as an attacking midfielder gave Arsenal crucial tactical flexibility, allowing her to influence build-up play as well as finish chances. This made her arguably the team’s most indispensable player throughout the campaign.
Ranked third in Ballon d’Or voting, Russo completed the season as joint-top goal scorer in the Women’s Super League (WSL) with 12 goals in 21 games. Her influence extended to the international stage as well and she was central to England’s effort in retaining their crown at Euro 2025, further proving how essential she is to every side she represents. — Keogh
play
1:59
Why Fara Williams believes Alessia Russo deserved the top spot
Fara Williams explains why she thinks Alessia Russo should have been No. 1 in ESPN FC Women’s Rank.
Stat to know: She has the most goals this calendar year by a Women’s Super League player, both in league play and UEFA club competitions (18).
Leaving Barcelona for Arsenal was a risky decision, but it’s one that has allowed Caldentey to flourish. At Barça she was a key player despite never really being considered a star, a tag that’s duly been given to her at Arsenal after a stellar first season in England. Not only was she named the best player in the WSL last year, she also scored eight goals to help the Gunners win an improbable Champions League trophy, beating former team Barça in the final.
She took that form into the Euros with Spain, putting La Roja ahead in the final against England, but a penalty shootout defeat against the Lionesses ended her hopes of becoming a European champion for club and country in the same year. — Marsden
Stat to know: Her 57 chances created this calendar year in the Women’s Super League are 17 more than any other player.
Putellas was No. 1 on the 2022 edition of ESPN FC Women’s Rank before injuries left her off in 2023 entirely, and she came awfully close to reclaiming the top spot this year again.
After tearing her ACL in 2022, she suffered a series of lingering injuries upon her return in 2023, but has refound some of her best form over the last 12 months. She registered 27 goal contributions in 24 Liga F appearances as Barça won the title last season. What’s more, she starred for Spain at Euro 2025. In Switzerland, she scored three goals and had four assists, although the tournament ended in heartbreak for her as Spain lost the final to England on penalties.
In that sense, it was actually a year of disappointments for Putellas, who was also part of the Barça side that lost the Champions League final — a credit to her excellence and high standards. — Marsden
Stat to know: She has the most UEFA Women’s Champions League goal involvements in 2025 with 11 (four goals, seven assists).
Country: Spain Club: Barcelona Age: 27 Position: Midfielder 2024 Rank: 1 (⇔ same position)
Bonmatí’s 2025 ended on a low note with a broken leg sustained in Spain training that will rule her out until at least April. However, prior to sustaining the injury, she had already done enough to top ESPN’s list for a third successive year after another 12 months packed with standout performances for club and country.
What is remarkable about Bonmatí is her consistency in big games. She recovered from viral meningitis to play a major role for Spain in the knockout stages of Euro 2025, producing an inspired backheel assist in the quarterfinal and the match-winning goal from the tightest of angles in the semifinal win over Germany. “Most players in that position wouldn’t even think about shooting and automatically cross,” former Barça teammate and England midfielder Keira Walsh said of the goal. “But I’ve played with Aitana a lot and I know that she’s always thinking about things that other players don’t.”
Bonmatí was later named Player of the Tournament despite a penalty shootout defeat in the final to England. Those performances in Switzerland came after another trophy-laden season with Barça, where she won Liga F, the Copa de la Reina and the Supercopa de España, and even the Champions League final defeat to Arsenal came with the consolation of her being named the Player of the Tournament as well.
After breaking her leg last month, she missed Spain’s UEFA Nations League triumph over Germany. By that point, though, she had already helped La Roja reach that final in yet another year when her dependability saw her stand above her peers. For all that she has won, she remains as determined as ever to keep moving forward, often using setbacks as motivation. Defeats in the Champions League and Euro 2025 finals, coupled with a broken leg, then, should serve as a warning to opponents when she returns to the pitch in 2026.
“Honestly, I felt it was time to slow down,” she said after the injury. “I did consider it, but I didn’t do it, and life has brought me to a sudden halt. I am convinced that it will serve as a learning experience. I will be back.” — Marsden
play
0:55
Krieger: Women’s Rank winner Aitana Bonmati a ‘generational player’
Futbol W’s Ali Krieger explains why Aitanna Bonmati had to be No. 1 for the third year in a row in ESPN FC Women’s Rank.
Stat to know: Bonmatí was the third-highest shot-creating actions per 90 minutes in Liga F last season. The only players that had more than Bonmatí’s 7.5 SCA/90 mins were Clàudia Pina (8.3) and Caroline Graham Hansen (8.6), both of whom are the strikers for Barcelona in charge of scoring the chances Bonmatí creates. In addition, she is one of two players in the last three Liga F seasons with 25-plus goals and 20-plus assists (the other is Graham Hansen).
The ranking methodology and voting panel explained
Although Aitana Bonmatí again repeats as our No. 1, this was one of our most competitive editions of ESPN FC Women’s Rank since we first launched this top-50 list back in 2021.
This year, eight different players received No. 1 votes and, in fact, the player who received the most No. 1 votes was not Bonmatí but her Spanish teammate Mariona Caldentey, who was voted as the top choice on eight of our voting panel’s ballots. Bonmatí received six votes for the top spot. Another Spanish and Barcelona player, Alexia Putellas, received four No. 1 votes.
So why did Caldentey fall to third in our overall ranking despite topping the most ballots? Bonmatí was consistently higher on average across the submitted ballots — even when she wasn’t at No. 1, she was near the top.
Using a ranked ballot, we asked our voting panel of 25 women’s soccer experts from around the world to pick their top 50 players of 2025: a No. 1 vote was worth 50 points, and each No. 50 vote was worth one point. At the end, we tallied up the points from all the ballots to get our list — and Bonmatí again came out on top.
This is Bonmatí’s third consecutive year topping ESPN FC Women’s Rank. You can see our previous lists here: 2024, 2023, 2022 and 2021.
Our voting panel was made up of 25 experts to ensure an accurate final ranking:
• Vlatko Andonovski (Kansas City Current sporting director; former U.S. national team coach) • Lesle Gallimore (Seattle Reign FC general manager; former University of Washington coach) • Mark Parsons (sporting director for Angel City FC; former coach of the Dutch national team, the Washington Spirit and the Portland Thorns) • Denise Reddy (assistant coach of the U.S. women’s national team; former assistant at Chelsea and the Washington Spirit) • Antonio Contreras (head coach of Chivas; former head coach of Atletico Madiod and Real Betis) • Jimmy Coenraets (head coach of the Utah Royals; former head coach of Oud-Heverlee Leuven) • Yael Averbuch West (general manager of Gotham FC; former player for the U.S. national team) • Natalia Astrain (soccer commentator for ESPN’s UEFA Women’s Champions League coverage; former coach of FC Barcelona and the U17 USWNT) • Sam Mewis (commentator; former World Cup champion and NWSL champion with the USWNT and North Carolina Courage; No. 1 on ESPN FC Women’s Rank in 2021) • Emma Byrne (commentator; former UEFA Champions League winner with Arsenal and former member of Ireland national team) • Janelly Farías (commentator; former player for Mexico national team and Club América) • Cristina Alexander (commentator and host of Futbol W on ESPN+; former ESPN correspondent covering Mexican soccer) • Maria Tikas (journalist covering Spanish soccer for Sport) • Sophie Downey (journalist covering WSL for The Guardian) • Ameé Ruszkai (journalist covering WSL and UWCL for Goal) • Suzy Wrack (journalist covering women’s soccer at The Guardian) • Mayca Jiménez (journalist covering soccer for Dazn; formerly AS and Relevo) • Samantha Lewis (journalist covering women’s soccer for The Guardian and ABC Australia) • Yash Thakur (ESPN journalist on women’s soccer in Europe and the UK) • Angela Christian-Wilkes (co-host of ESPN Australia women’s soccer podcast “The Far Post”) • Marissa Lordanic (ESPN Australia editor and co-host of “The Far Post”) • Audrey de Ridder (ESPN Netherlands editor, writer and presenter) • Emily Keogh (ESPN’s lead journalist for UEFA Women’s Champions League and the WSL) • Jeff Kassouf (ESPN’s lead journalist for the U.S. women’s national team and NWSL) • Caitlin Murray (ESPN senior editor; former reporter and book author covering U.S. women’s soccer)
In order to comply with regulatory demands from CADE, Apple is making changes that will impact iOS apps in Brazil. While these changes will open new privacy and security risks to users, we have worked to maintain protections against some threats, including keeping in place important safeguards for younger users. These safeguards will not eliminate every risk, but they will help ensure that iOS remains the best, most secure mobile platform available in Brazil and we will continue to advocate on behalf of users and developers.
Kansas City’s Travis Kelce was selected for his 11th Pro Bowl, tied with Jason Witten for the second most among tight ends, behind only Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez (14).
The Jets, Saints and Vikings were the only teams without a representative.
San Francisco’s Kyle Juszczyk is heading to his 10th Pro Bowl, the most ever by a fullback. Niners left tackle Trent Williams is the fourth offensive lineman selected to 12 Pro Bowls since 1970, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Bruce Matthews (14), Randall McDaniel (12) and Will Shields (12).
Colts guard Quenton Nelson is the second offensive lineman to be selected to the Pro Bowl in each of his first eight career seasons since 1970, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer Joe Thomas (10).
Cincinnati’s Ja’Marr Chase is the third wide receiver to be selected to the Pro Bowl in each of his first five seasons since 1970, joining Tyreek Hill (8) and A.J. Green (7).
Packers edge rusher Micah Parsons is the first defensive player to be named to the Pro Bowl in each of his first five career seasons since Aaron Donald (10).
Jalen Ramsey, a seven-time Pro Bowl cornerback, made it as a free safety in his first season with the Steelers.
Player selections were determined by the consensus votes of fans, players and coaches, with each group’s vote counting as one-third toward the total tally.
This is the fourth year of the Pro Bowl Games after the NFL eliminated its full-contact all-star game and replaced it with weeklong skills competitions and a flag football game.
The events will be played in San Francisco ahead of the Super Bowl. Pro Football Hall of Famers Jerry Rice (NFC) and Steve Young (AFC) will coach the teams in the flag football showdown on Feb. 3.
Taylor Momsen is still stealing hearts 25 years after How The Grinch Stole Christmas.
The Gossip Girl alum paid homage to her Cindy Lou Who character—who she portrayed at just 6 years old…
Price: $39.00 - $32.90 (as of Dec 23, 2025 19:38:48 UTC – Details)
From the brand
Best Sellers
New Products
Collagen & Protein Powders
Healthy Living
Anti-Aging
Body Management
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer : No Package Dimensions : 10.24 x 6.57 x 2.36 inches; 9.17 ounces Item model number : 1331 Date First Available : December 20, 2018 Manufacturer : BioTRUST ASIN : B07HMBRGFJ Best Sellers Rank: #8,964 in Health & Household (See Top 100 in Health & Household) #64 in Collagen Supplements Customer Reviews: 4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars (6,040) var dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction; P.when(‘A’, ‘ready’).execute(function(A) { if (dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction !== true) { dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction = true; A.declarative( ‘acrLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault”: true }, function (event) { if (window.ue) { ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } } ); } }); P.when(‘A’, ‘cf’).execute(function(A) { A.declarative(‘acrStarsLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault” : true }, function(event){ if(window.ue) { ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } }); }); 5-IN-1 COLLAGEN POWDER. Ageless Multi Collagen protein powder combines all 5 of the most researched types of collagen (I, II, III, V, X) to promote maximum benefits — overall wellness; healthy hair, skin and nails; the strength and health of joints and bones; muscle, tendon and ligament health and recovery; gut health and digestion; healthy aging and more. BIOACTIVE COLLAGEN PEPTIDES PLUS. Packed with 10G of bioactive collagen protein per serving, this formula features naturally hydrolyzed collagen peptides for easy absorption, helping provide the building blocks the body needs to make new collagen. Plus, it includes a naturally fermented form of the amino acid tryptophan, which makes it a complete protein. MIXES EASILY WITH NO CLUMPS. Our Multi Collagen dissolves quickly and easily in hot and cool liquids. It comes in four flavors you’ll savor and look forward to, including great-tasting Vanilla, Chocolate, and Fruit Punch. Or if you prefer a completely odorless and tasteless version, it’s available Unflavored, which also comes in single packets that are perfect for travel and on-the-go. Add a scoop to your morning coffee, smoothies, non-dairy beverage, or baking recipes. NATURALLY HONEST. Our collagen protein comes from 4 premium sources, including grass-fed, pasture-raised cattle, sustainable fish, eggshell membrane, and chicken. It’s non-GMO and free of gluten, dairy, hormones, artificial sweeteners and colors; Paleo- and Keto-friendly. THIRD-PARTY TESTED. Ageless Multi Collagen powder for women & men is manufactured in a GMP-certified facility and undergoes rigorous third-party testing for major allergens, heavy metals, and of course, potency, so you can be certain that what’s on the label is in the bag — nothing more, nothing less.
Customers say
Customers report that the collagen powder mixes easily in both cold and hot liquids and delivers the results it claims, particularly noting improvements in hair growth and skin appearance. Moreover, the product helps with joint discomfort, with customers reporting reduced stiffness. However, the taste receives mixed feedback, with some finding it fine while others describe it as awful. Additionally, customers report mixed experiences with clumping, with some saying it doesn’t clump while others find it remains clumpy. The product’s value for money receives negative feedback, with customers finding it too expensive for the amount received.
