The following is a list of female footballers who received the Best Female Football Player of the Year Award.
Albania
Association: Federata Shqiptare e Futbollit (FSHF)
Founded in 2009, the National Championship is the highest division of women's football in Albania. Currently there are 11 teams competing in this domestic competition. The Albanian Women's National Team was formed in 2011 and made its debut in a friendly match against F.Y.R. Macedonia. The match was won by Albania 1-0.
No awards are currently given in women's football.
Andorra
Association: Federació Andorrana de Futbol (FAF)
Currently there is no domestic competition in Andorra. The Andorran National Team took part in the preliminary round of the qualifications for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup to be held in France.
No awards are currently given in women's football.
Armenia
Association: Հայաստանի Ֆուտբոլի Ֆեդերացիա (FFA)
After the split from the Soviet Union, Armenia played its first international match in May 2003 in and against Austria, losing 11-0. Today only a U19 team is active at international level, and it is ranked at 139th place by FIFA. Currently Armenia has a domestic competition of nine teams competing in two national divisions (Women Football championship Group A and Group B).
No awards are currently given in women's football.
Austria
Association: Österreichischer Fußball-Bund (ÖFB)
Award: Fußballerin des Jahres
The Austrian National Team started playing in July 1970. Their first match was against Mexico, and they lost 9-0. Austria made its international competitive debut in the 1970 Women's World Cup - an unofficial competition held in Italy.
Founded in 1973, the ÖFB-Frauenliga is the top level competition in Austrian women's domestic football.
Austria was among the first countries in Europe to launch a "Player of the Year" award for women's football. The trophy is awarded to the best (Austrian) player active in the ÖFB-Frauenliga. The first award was won by Renate Seidl (ESV Ostbahn XI Wien) in 1983.
YearFirst placeClubCurrent Club1983 ESV Ostbahn XI Wien retired1984 Union Kleinmünchen Linz retired1985 Union Kleinmünchen Linz retired1986 Wiener Berufsschulen CA retired1987 DFC LUV Graz retired1988 ESV Parndorf retired1989 ESV Parndorf retired1990 ESV Parndorf retired1991 SC Neunkirchen retired1992 SC Neunkirchen retired1993 SC Neunkirchen retired1994 SC Neunkirchen retired1995 SC Neunkirchen retired1996 ASV Vösendorf retired1997 ASV Vösendorf retired1998 USC Landhaus Wien retired1999 SV Horn retired2000 SC Damen Dörfl unknown2001 SC Damen Dörfl unknown2002 USC Landhaus Wien SV Neulengbach2003 SV Groß-Schweinbarth unknown2004 SV Neulengbach SV Neulengbach2005 SV Groß-Schweinbarth unknown2006 SV Groß-Schweinbarth unknown2007 LUV Graz unknown2008 unknown2009 unknown2010 unknown2011 SKV Altenmarkt unknown2012 unknown2013 FC Südburgenland SV Neulengbach2014 FC Südburgenland SV Neulengbach2015 FC Südburgenland SV Neulengbach
Azerbaijan
Association: Azərbaycan Futbol Federasiyaları Assosiasiyası (AFFA)
Azerbaijan does not have a domestic football competition for women. There is an Azerbaijani National Team, although it is an U-21 team according to the official website of the AFFA.
No awards are currently given in women's football.
Belarus
Association: Беларуская Федэрацыя Футбола (BFF)
The Premier League is the top level domestic competition in Belarus played with 7 teams. Belarus first time appearance at international level was in the 1997 UEFA Women's Euro Qualification stage. In their first official international match they lost 1-0 to the Czech Republic.
No awards are currently given in women's football.
Belgium
Association: Koninklijke Belgische Voetbalbond (KBVB) / Union royale belge des sociétés de football association (URBSFA) / Königlicher Belgischer Fußballverband (KBFV)
Award: Gouden Schoen / Soulier d'Or
Belgium made its international debut against France in May 1976, winning 2-1. Today the Super League Vrouwenvoetbal is the highest division in Belgian women's football with 7 teams. Belgium also has a 1e Klasse / Division I - 2e Klasse A / Division II A - 2e Klasse B / Division II B each played with 14 teams of which some are secondary teams of clubs playing in the Super League. Earlier forms of domestic competition were the BeNe League, which was a joint competition with The Netherlands from 2012 - 2015. Before the BeNe League the competition in Belgium was classified as "Lagere Klassen" or lower class or amateur football.
In 2017 the first official Gouden Schoen / Soulier d'Or was awarded for the Best Belgian Female Player of the year playing either domestically or abroad. In 2015 the Sparkle award was introduced in protest at the Belgian Football Association not having an award equivalent to men's.
YearFirst placeClubCurrent Club20141 Standard Liège VfL Wolfsburg20151 ADO Den Haag ADO Den Haag20152 Standard Liège VfL Wolfsburg20162 Standard Liège Standard Liège20163 VfL Wolfsburg VfL Wolfsburg 1 BeNe League Bottega Player of the year (joined award Belgium & Netherlands)
2 The Sparkle is an award for the best female soccer player comparable to the Belgian Golden Shoe for men, awarded by the BFC (Belgian Football coaches), Super League Vrouwenvoetbal and the city of Ostend
3 Belgian Golden Shoe
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Association: Nogometni/Fudbalski Savez Bosne i Hercegovine (N/FSBiH) / Ногоʍєmɴн/Фудбалски Савез Босне и Херцеговине (Н/ФСБиХ)
Award: Idol Nacije
The Premier League (Ženska Premijer Liga BiH) is the highest division in Bosnian women's football and is played with 8 teams. Founded in its current form in 2013, it is one of the most recent women's leagues in Europe. Being a part of the former Yugoslav countries, Bosnia & Herzegovina made its first independent international appearance in September 1997 in and against Slovakia. A game they lost 11-0.
Bosnia & Herzegovina is - at this time - about the only former Yugoslavian country to award the best female football player. Lidija Kuliš (SFK 2000 Sarajevo) was the first to receive this award in 2008.
YearFirst placeClubCurrent Club2008 SFK 2000 Linköpings FC2009 SFK 2000 SFK 20002010 SFK 2000 SFK 20002011not awarded2012 SFK 2000 SFK 20002013 SFK 2000 SFK 20002014not awarded2015 SFK 2000 SFK 20002016 SFK 2000 SFK 2000
Bulgaria
Association: Български футболен съюз (БФС) / Bŭlgarski futbolen sŭyuz (BFU)
Award: Футболист №1 на България / Futbolist №1 na Balgariya
The Bulgarian national championship of women's football (Държавно първенство жени) is the top level league in Bulgaria. Founded in 1985, it is played with 8 teams. Bulgaria made its debut at international level in October 1987 where they drew (1-1) against Spain.
In 2015 Bulgaria launched an award for the best female football player of the year. The first winner was Silvia Radoyska who, at that time, played on loan for Spanish club Sporting de Huelva.
YearFirst placeClubCurrent Club2015 Sporting de Huelva FC NSA Sofia2016 London Bees London Bees
Croatia
Association: Hrvatski nogometni savez (HNS)
Founded in 1992, the 1. HNLŽ (Prva hrvatska nogometna liga za žene) is the top level of women's football in Croatia and is played with 10 teams. Since its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, Croatia made its debut in a friendly against Slovenia. They lost the match 3-2.
No awards are currently given in women's football.
Cyprus
Association: Cyprus Football Association (CFA) / Κυπριακή Ομοσπονδία Ποδοσφαίρου (ΚΟΠ)
The Cypriot First Division is the top division of women's football in Cyprus. It has been running since its establishment during the 1998-1999 season and has since played with 9 teams. Cyprus played its first international match in April 2002 when they received Greece for a neighbour friendly. The match was won by the Greece 2-4.
No awards are currently given in women's football.
Czech Republic
Association: Fotbalová asociace České republiky (FAČR)
Award: Fotbalistka roku
The I. liga žen is the top level women's football league of the Czech Republic and is played with 8 teams. After the split of Czechoslovakia in 1993, the Czech National Team played its first international friendly against former compatriot Slovakia, beating them 6-0.
The award for best player of the year was introduced in 2002. First to win was Kateřina Došková of AC Sparta Praha.
YearFirst placeClubCurrent Club2002 AC Sparta Praha FK Krupka2003 AC Sparta Praha retired2004 FC Bayern München retired2005 AC Sparta Praha retired2006 KIF Örebro retired2007 KIF Örebro retired2008 LdB Malmö retired2009 SK Slavia Praha SK Slavia Praha2010 SK Slavia Praha SK Slavia Praha2011 SK Slavia Praha SK Slavia Praha2012 AC Sparta Praha AC Sparta Praha2013 KIF Örebro AC Sparta Praha2014 KIF Örebro AC Sparta Praha2015 SK Slavia Praha SK Slavia Praha
Denmark Association: Dansk Boldspil-Union (DBU)
Award: Player of the Year
A-Liga is the top division of the Danish Women's Football League, founded in 1972 and today contested by 10 teams. Denmark made its international debut against Sweden in July 1974, a match they won 1-0.
In 2000 the first Player of the year award for women was introduced. Gitte Krogh (Odense Boldklub) was the first to win this award.
YearRecipientClubCurrent Club2000 OBRetired2001 Fortuna HjørringRetired2002 OBRetired2003 SkovbakkenRetired2004 BrøndbyRetired2005 TorresRetired2006 BrøndbyRetired2007 AskerRetired2008 Fortuna HjørringRetired2009 BrøndbyRetired2010 TyresöRetired2011 Skovbakken Midtjylland2012 BrøndbyRetired2013 StabækRetired2014 Brøndby HB Køge2015 Linköpings FC Bayern Munich2016 Linköpings FC Bayern Munich2017 VfL Wolfsburg Bayern Munich2018 VfL Wolfsburg Bayern Munich2019 VfL Wolfsburg Bayern Munich2020 VfL Wolfsburg / Chelsea Bayern Munich2021 Lyon Real Madrid2022 Vålerenga Bayern Munich2023 PSG Aston Villa2024 Bayern Munich Bayern Munich2025 Bayern Munich Bayern Munich
England
Association: English Football Association (FA)
Award: PFA Women's Players' Player of the Year
Women's football in England is played on 10 different levels of which the Women's Super League 1 & Women's Super League 2, played with 10 teams each, are the highest levels. England made its debut on the international scene in November 1972. They concluded their first match in and against Scotland with a 2-3 win.
The PFA Women's Players' Player of the Year award was introduced in 2013 and is only 1 of 3 official awards to be won in English women's football. The first player to win this award was Scottish International Kim Little (Arsenal L.F.C.). Other awards in English women's football: FA WSL 1 Players' Player of the Year award, Vauxhall England Women's Player of the Year award
YearFirst placeClubCurrent Club20111 Birmingham City L.F.C. Notts County L.F.C.20121 Bristol City W.F.C. Melbourne City FC20122 Arsenal L.F.C. Manchester City W.F.C.20131 Liverpool L.F.C. Melbourne Victory FC20133 Arsenal L.F.C. Arsenal L.F.C.20141 Chelsea L.F.C. Chelsea L.F.C.20142 Manchester City W.F.C. Manchester City W.F.C.20143 Liverpool L.F.C. Manchester City W.F.C.20151 Sunderland A.F.C. Sunderland A.F.C.20153 Chelsea L.F.C. Chelsea L.F.C.20161 Manchester City W.F.C. Manchester City W.F.C.20162 Arsenal L.F.C. Arsenal L.F.C.20163 Manchester City W.F.C. Manchester City W.F.C. 1 FA WSL 1 Players' Player of the Year award
2 Vauxhall England Women's Player of the Year award
3 PFA Women's Players' Player of the Year award
Estonia
Association: Eesti Jalgpalli Liit (EJL)
Award: Estonian Female Footballer of the Year
Naiste Meistriliiga is the highest division in women's domestic football in Estonia. Founded in 1994 this league is played with 8 teams. Estonia made its debut in and against Lithuania in June 1994. They lost 3-0.