Women's Ballon d'Or 2023 Power Rankings: Aitana Bonmati takes Alexias Putellas' crown after dominating for club and country

Official ranking: 12th

In 2022-23: Seven goals, Women's World Cup Golden Boot winner

Heading into the World Cup, Hinata Miyazawa would never in her wildest dreams have believed that she would be nominated for the Ballon d'Or. However, she became impossible to ignore following her incredible exploits Down Under.

Playing at the tip of Japan's wildly-effective midfield diamond, she plundered five goals as Japan lit up the competition before being knocked out in the quarter-finals by Sweden. Miyazawa will be hoping to have a similar impact in the Women's Super League this season, having subsequently sealed a move to Manchester United.

She won't be winning the Ballon d'Or, but to even be up for the award is an incredible achievement, considering she was playing in Japan's second tier last season.

Official ranking: 16th

In 2022-23: Five goals, six assists, 24 clean sheets. Liga F, Spanish Super Cup and Women's Champions League winner.

Widely considered the best centre-back in the women's game, Mapi Leon had another outstanding season as Barcelona did the treble. That said, it's tough for defenders to be recognised in these awards and she will likely suffer from voters looking towards other stand-out performers from the Catalans instead, especially with her choosing not to go to the World Cup.

Official ranking: 13th

In 2022-23: Four goals, two assists. DFB-Pokal winner.

Lena Oberdorf was recognised in the individual awards last year after helping Germany to reach the Women's Euros final, and although she and her country crashed out in the group stages of the 2023 Women's World Cup, she should accumulate some votes after a great season with Wolfsburg.

The 21-year-old was outstanding in holding midfield as the German side won another domestic cup and reached the Women's Champions League final.

Official ranking: 25th

In 2022-23: 28 goals, 10 assists. Won NWSL Championship.

Named the Most Valuable Player for the NWSL's 2022 season, becoming the youngest player ever to win the accolade, Smith opened the scoring in the Championship game in October as the Portland Thorns went on to beat the Kansas City Current to the big trophy.

She's already started the new campaign in electric fashion, netting a hat-trick against that same opponent in her second match of the year, and carried that into the Women's World Cup when she was directly involved in all three of the USWNT's goals against Vietnam in their tournament opener.

The reigning champions suffered an historic last-16 exit, though, in which Smith missed her penalty in the shootout. Sadly, that disappointing campaign is likely to affect her in the voting.

Official ranking: 18th

In 2022-23: 31 goals, 10 assists. DFB-Pokal winner.

The most in-form goalscorer on the planet for large parts of last season, Ewa Pajor has had torrid luck with injuries in recent years, but is now showing again that she is one of the best centre-forwards in the game.

Players in Germany haven't often been recognised in the Ballon d'Or voting in recent years, but Pajor scored and assisted in the Champions League final while also winning the competition's Golden Boot. That should surely result in voters looking her way - and deservedly so. She has been one of the very best in the world for the past year.

The fact Poland failed to qualify for the World Cup will no doubt hinder her in the voting, though.

Official ranking: 5th

In 2022-23: 21 clean sheets, FA Cup finalist, World Cup finalist and World Cup Golden Glove winner

Nike were made to look a little silly for their decision not to sell England goalkeeping shirts ahead of the World Cup, as Mary Earps won the hearts and minds of the nation all over again with a string of outstanding performances between the sticks.

The Lionesses would not have made the World Cup final without Earps' heroics and she was rightly crowned the competition's best shot-stopper after her side's defeat in the final to Spain.

All of this came after a brilliant season for club side Manchester United. Earps helped the Red Devils keep pace with eventual WSL champions Chelsea as well as reach their first-ever Women's FA Cup final. Goalkeepers are often overlooked in Ballon d'Or voting, but Earps might just buck the trend this year.

Official ranking: 23rd

In 2022-23: 14 goals, seven assists. Frauen-Bundesliga and Women's Finalissima winner.

In her first season abroad, Georgia Stanway was a stand-out player in Bayern Munich's fantastic campaign - one which ended in just a fifth league title in the club's history. Her cool conversion of the penalty that saw them defeat closest rivals Wolfsburg was a huge, huge goal in delivering that trophy.

The England midfielder carried that form into the Women's World Cup, too, proving to be a solid and consistent performer in the centre of the park for the Lionesses as they reached the final for the first time.

Official ranking: 6th

In 2022-23: Seven goals & two assists. World Cup winner

It doesn't get any bigger than scoring the winning goal in a World Cup final, does it? That's exactly what Olga Carmona did this summer, with her powerful, low finish beyond Mary Earps earning Spain a historic 1-0 win over England.

The Real Madrid star also played a pivotal role in getting her country to the final, making six appearances at the tournament and scoring a memorable 89th minute winner to see off Sweden in the semis.

At club level, she was an important part of the Real side which just came up short last season, finishing as league runners-up to Barcelona and also losing the final of the Copa de la Reina to rivals Atletico.

Official ranking: 8th

In 2022-23: Eight goals, 13 assists. Liga F, Spanish Super Cup and Women's Champions League winner.

Patri Guijarro has long been an underrated player in the women's game, something that is largely down to the subtlety of her deep-lying midfielder role. However, her two-goal performance in Barcelona's incredible Women's Champions League final comeback, which capped off another stellar individual season, will have put her on the radar of anyone who might've overlooked her otherwise.

That said, Guijarro will sadly still rank lower than she should as she was among the players who chose to withdraw from selection for the Spain women's national team ahead of the World Cup.

Official ranking: 4th

In 2022-23: 17 goals, 10 assists. Liga F, Spanish Super Cup and Women's Champions League winner.

Fridolina Rolfo was among the nominees for this award last year and she had an even more impressive campaign this time around. Having settled into the specific demands of being a Barcelona player, she made incredibly decisive contributions throughout the season, most notably with the winning goal in the Champions League final. A big moment like that is sure to earn her a lot of votes.

Rolfo also scored three times as Sweden reached the World Cup semi-finals and claimed third place.

Official ranking: 14th

In 2022-23: 32 goals, 10 assists.

With star striker Marie-Antoinette Katoto sidelined with an ACL injury, Kadidiatou Diani had to come in from her usual wide role to play as a No.9 for both club and country this past season - and she was outstanding.

Paris Saint-Germain's failure to progress beyond the quarter-finals of the Champions League could hinder the forward, who has since signed for rivals Lyon. However, Diani scored four goals and assisted three more for France at the 2023 Women's World Cup, winning the Silver Boot, which will boost her chances of recognition.

Official ranking: 19th

In 2022-23: 15 goals, 23 assists. Women's FA Cup and Women's Super League winner.

Chelsea did a domestic double last season and Guro Reiten was one of the stars who stepped up to ensure success. No one in the WSL racked up more assists, with her also near the top in the Champions League standings. She scored a few herself, too, including a stunner in the Champions League quarter-final win over holders Lyon.

Norway underwhelmed in the World Cup group stages before crashing out in the last 16, though, which could impact Reiten in the voting, even if she was directly involved in three of their seven goals.

Official ranking: 2nd

In 2022-23: 34 goals, 10 assists. Women's FA Cup and Women's Super League winner.

Last season wasn't Kerr's best for Chelsea in terms of goals, but she still came up big. The Aussie netted some huge goals across the campaign, most notably the only strike in the Women's FA Cup final in May and twice on the final day to help the Blues win the league.

Her Ballon d'Or hopes were hampered by a calf injury that stopped her getting on the pitch for Australia in the group stages of the World Cup, but she returned in the last 16, scored in the quarter-final penalty shootout as the Matildas reached the final four for the first time, and then lit up that stage with one of the goals of the tournament against England.

Official ranking: 7th

In 2022-23: 31 goals, seven assists. DFB-Pokal winner.

Alex Popp was well represented in the voting for last year's individual awards after a sublime Euro 2022 campaign. A year on, she won the Frauen Bundesliga's Golden Boot and scored in both the DFB-Pokal and Champions League finals.

Germany crashed out in the Women's World Cup group stages in Australia, but Popp still scored four goals in three games and was their star performer on the biggest stage.

Official ranking: 1st

In 2022-23: 19 goals, 21 assists. Liga F, Spanish Super Cup, Women's Champions League and Women's World Cup winner.

It'd be a crime if Aitana Bonmati doesn't win the Ballon d'Or this year. She was the best player in Europe last season, with no one involved in more Women's Champions League goals as Barcelona completed a treble.

The midfielder took that form into the World Cup, too, shining on the biggest stage and winning the Golden Ball as Spain made history and became champions of the world for the first time.

Bonmati is the best women's player on the planet right now and her exploits in Australia and New Zealand proved it.