Who Is the Best Girl Soccer Player in the World Right Now?

As I sit here watching the UAAP Season 88 men's basketball tournament tip off this Saturday, I can't help but draw parallels to another sport that's captured global attention - women's soccer. While basketball dominates the Philippine sports scene, the conversation about who currently reigns supreme in women's football has become increasingly fascinating. Having followed women's soccer for over a decade, I've witnessed the evolution of incredible talent, but the current landscape presents perhaps the most compelling debate in recent memory.

The conversation inevitably begins with Sam Kerr, whose scoring prowess has become the stuff of legend. Watching her play for Chelsea, I'm consistently amazed by her athleticism and clinical finishing. Just last season, she netted 20 goals in 22 appearances for Chelsea, demonstrating why many consider her the complete forward. Her ability to score from seemingly impossible angles reminds me of those game-changing moments in UAAP basketball where a single player can shift the entire momentum of a match. What sets Kerr apart in my view isn't just her goal-scoring but her leadership - she carries herself with that champion's mentality that separates good players from truly great ones.

Then there's Alexia Putellas, the Spanish magician whose technical mastery leaves me in awe every time I watch her play. Her Ballon d'Or Féminin wins in 2021 and 2022 weren't accidents - she possesses that rare quality of making the extraordinarily difficult look effortless. Having watched her recover from that ACL injury and return to form, I've gained even more respect for her mental fortitude. While her statistics might not always reflect Kerr's goal numbers, her influence on Barcelona's gameplay is immeasurable. It's similar to how in UAAP basketball, sometimes the most valuable player isn't the highest scorer but the one who orchestrates the entire team's rhythm.

The emerging force that has personally captured my imagination is Aitana Bonmatí. Watching her evolution from promising talent to world-beater has been one of the genuine pleasures of recent seasons. Her performance in Barcelona's dominant UEFA Women's Champions League campaign last season, where she contributed 5 goals and 7 assists, demonstrated her growing influence. What impresses me most about Bonmatí is her football intelligence - she always seems two steps ahead of everyone else on the pitch. It's that quality of anticipation that reminds me of the smartest point guards in UAAP basketball who can read the game before it unfolds.

If I'm being completely honest, my personal preference leans toward Putellas when she's fully fit and in form. There's something about her combination of technical excellence, vision, and big-game temperament that resonates with how I appreciate the beautiful game. Having watched her dismantle defenses with precision passing and sudden bursts of creativity, I've come to believe she represents the highest form of footballing artistry in the women's game today. That said, I completely understand arguments for Kerr's consistent goal production or Bonmatí's rising dominance. The beauty of this debate lies in its subjectivity - much like arguing about the best player in UAAP basketball, it often comes down to what qualities you value most in an athlete.

As the UAAP basketball season unfolds with its own narratives of excellence and competition, the parallel conversation in women's soccer continues to evolve. What makes this particular moment special is that we're not lacking for candidates - we're blessed with multiple players operating at genuinely world-class levels. Having followed the women's game through its various eras, I can confidently say we're witnessing one of its golden ages, where the debate about the best isn't settled by statistics alone but by the different kinds of excellence each top player represents.