Defenders can be overlooked during award season but Ashley Lawrence was superb this past year and one of only a few players to star in successful teams for club and country -winning the league with Paris Saint-Germain and Olympic gold with Canada. A full-back who defends as well as she attacks, she deserves all the recognition she's getting.
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9Lieke Martens
After some difficult spells with injuries, Lieke Martens took her game to the another level this year. She doesn't always start for Barcelona's star-studded team, which takes her down a few places, but she always makes huge contributions – scoring twice in the Champions League semi-finals and shining in the final as they won the treble.
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8Kadidiatou Diani
The best player in France last season, Kadidiatou Diani's brilliance can often go unnoticed as the statistics don't do her justice. The winger's intelligent movement off the ball, excellent footwork and positivity in possession made her not only excellent to watch, but helped PSG win their first-ever Division 1 Feminine title.
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7Vivianne Miedema
Last season wasn't Arsenal's best, and therefore wasn't Vivianne Miedema's best, but she still scored a ton of goals and shattered plenty of records. How she contributes in the build-up, on and off the ball, can be forgotten because of those stats, too. Watching her play is to wonder what she can't do.