After the success of VAVEL's Top 50 Women's Footballers of the Year list, there has been another addition to the debate for who has shone most in 2015. There are, of course, some less high-profile players who rose to stardom and didn't make that cut, so find themselves here - on VAVEL UK's Biggest breakthroughs in Women's Football 2015.
The criteria on which this list is based is not age related. The only requirement was that this has been the year, that the player has gone to a new level. A breakthrough can be many things; it can be a young payer that has just broken onto the scene, but still has better years ahead of her.
It can be someone who has been prominent in her own country for some time, but has now gained more international recognition. It can also be a player that has shown her abilities for a number of years, but has added to that and who has had their best year to date.
There must be a big thanks to all of those who contributed to the list. There are so many women’s football leagues that makes every single one impossible to follow in great detail, and so this compilation would not have been possible without those who watch some of the divisions that are harder to follow.
Part one can be found here, part two can be found here, and part three can be found here.
So without further ado, here are the final 11 selected players who have made their breakthrough, in one way or another, this year:
Michelle De Jongh (KIF Örebro DFF, Sweden)
Michelle De Jongh was part of the Sweden U19’s team who won European gold in 2015. She ruled the midfield, and has done the same for KIF Örebro in the Damallsvenskan. She was nominated as breakthrough of the year at the Swedish Fotbollsgalan in 2015, but eventually lost out to Stina Blackstenius.
Many consider De Jongh to be the next big midfield star for Sweden, and she is also the apparent heir after the likes of Caroline Seger and Lisa Dahlkvist call it quits. At the age of 18, she will be dominating the Swedish midfield for years to come.
Courtney Sweetman-Kirk (Doncaster Belles, England)
If you have followed English women’s football, you will undoubtedly know who Courtney Sweetman-Kirk is. She has played for a number of clubs and is no stranger to many. I have included her in this list because this year seems to be the one where she finally had her big breakthrough.
She became the top-scorer for her team, Doncaster Belles, in the second best division in England, FAWSL 2, and recently she signed a professional contract with the club (who will play in FAWSL 1 next year).
As a player who has been at numerous clubs, it seems like she has finally settled in Doncaster, and at the age of 25, there’s still plenty of good to come. With Doncaster’s newest additions, she will have to fight hard for her spot next year, but if she can reclaim that, next year looks promising for her and for Doncaster.
Claire Rafferty (Chelsea, England)
The inclusion of Claire Raffterty on this list might surprise some, since she has been a profile for some time. However, I have included her because 2015 was a year were she cemented herself as one of the biggest profiles in World Football.
She won the league and the FA Women's Cup with Chelsea and got a bronze medal with England at the World Cup, and for both of those teams she was a key player. Rafferty has had bad luck with injuries throughout her career, but has been mostly injury free since late 2014, and this has shown in her game.
Julie Johnston (Chicago Red Stars, USA)
Many knew who Julie Johnston was prior to this year, and she was also named NWSL Rookie of the Year in 2015, but 2015 became the year she cemented a starting spot with the USWNT, and won a World Cup medal. Her showings at the World Cup earned her a place on the shortlist for the Gold Ball, which was awarded to the best player at the tournament.
Tamires Gomes (Centro Olimpico/Fortuna Hjørring, Brazil)
When you are a Brazilian defender you aren’t used to getting much of the attention - since it usually goes to the attacking players - but Tamires Gomes has had an impressive year. She started all games for Brazil at the World Cup and put in a solid display. Her showings secured a move to Danish Champions Fortuna Hjørring prior to the season, and there she has continued to impress, being one of the best players in the league.
Magdalena Ericsson (Linköpings FC, Sweden)
In 2015, Magdalena Ericsson cemented herself as one of Sweden’s best defenders. She became a regular with the national team and was an important part of a Linköpings FC side who were in with a shot of the league title for a long time.
She missed the World Cup due to an injury, and has had minor injury problems throughout the year. She was, however, named the best left back in the league by her fellow players in 2015.
Matilde Fidalgo (CF Benfica, Portugal)
Many won’t have heard about this Portuguese defender, but 2015 was the year she became a regular starter with Seleção, also known as the Portuguese national team. 2015 was also the year she, at just 21-years-old, was made captain of Benfica. With Benfica she also did the double, lifting the league title and the cup.
Lady Andrade (Western New York Flash, Colombia)
Anyone who has followed women’s football this year will at some point have seen a vine, gif or video of Lady Andrade. She is a showboat, and 2015 was the year she truly shined and everybody saw just how skilful she is.
She scored two goals at World Cup in Canada, and was Colombia’s top scorer. She did so well at the World Cup that former Liverpool striker (now Doncaster Belles) Natasha Dowie noted, during a broadcast for BBC, that she had texted Matt Beard, then manager of Liverpool but to be the new Boston Breakers boss, to sign her up. Eventually, the Colombian signed for Western New York Flash.
Tine De Caigny (Club Brugge/Lierse SK, Belgium)
The young Belgian defender made her debut in the league back in 2014 and got plenty of praise, and in 2015 she has just continued to build on that.
Despite her young age, she has already earned a number of caps for the Red Flames, Belgium’s national team. After impressing for Club Brugge, she earned a move to Lierse SK in the summer of 2015. Tine De Caigny has been an integral part of a Lierse side that are currently sitting in third place in the Belgian Super League, four points off of the league leaders, Anderlecht.
Pernille Harder (Linköpings FC, Denmark)
For anyone who has followed either Danish women’s football or the Swedish league, Pernille Harder won’t be a new name to them. I have included her in this list, however, because her international breakthrough came in 2015.
In 2015 she received plenty of individual honours, including being named in the Damallsvenskan's Team of the Year by her peers, as well as Player of the Year. In addition, she was also named most valuable player in Sweden and best forward. She was number two on the top scorer list in the Swedish league, scoring 17 goals in 22 games.
Kadeisha Buchanan (West Virginia Mountaineers, Canada)
Kadeisha Buchanan has been part of the set-up with Canada for a few years now, and was therefore a familiar name to most going in to the World Cup. She started the opening match at the tournament for the host nation against China, and while Canada were eliminated in the quarter-finals by England, Buchanan still managed to win the Young Player Award.