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The Spanish midfielder wins for a second consecutive year on a fast-moving list that sees 15 players appearing for the first time Aitana Bonmatí emulates her Barcelona and Spain teammate Alexia Putellas and takes back-to-back wins in the Guardian’s 100 best female footballers in the world list. The double Ballon d’Or winner received votes from all 99 of this year’s judges, finishing 667 points clear of her club teammate Caroline Graham Hansen, the Norwegian climbing to her highest ranking after a superb individual year for both club and country. In a year where the top-three regular Sam Kerr missed the whole period with a cruciate ligament injury, it was all change in the top 10 with Sophia Smith, Khadija Shaw, Trinity Rodman, Lindsey Horan, Barbra Banda, Mallory Swanson and Naomi Girma all coming home in the business end of the list for the first time. A year when the US reclaimed their spot at the top of the international game is reflected with five of their Olympic gold medalists in the top 10, with the National Women’s Soccer League also sharing five spots in the top 10 after an excellent year for, among others, the Zambia forward Banda at Orlando Pride. There are some high risers too with the Chelsea forward Mayra Ramírez by far the biggest mover from last year’s list as she rockets up 83 places into the top 20. She started the year joining the Women’s Super League champions and quickly showed herself on the world stage, in the league and at the Olympics for Colombia during the summer. Rodman also moves up after finishing 50th last year into fifth this time around, closely followed by new Lyon forward Tabitha Chawinga, who moves up 51 places. Speaking of the Chawinga sisters,  it’s a historic list for Malawi as for the first time both strikers make the top 100, after Temwa’s brilliant debut NWSL campaign for the Kansas City Current. She is making her debut on the list, flying straight into the top 20 after coming 297th in last year’s votes. It was a strong year for new faces all-round, with Temwa one of 15 first-time entrants, including the Chelsea trio Sjoeke Nüsken, Niamh Charles and Johanna Rytting Kaneryd. Others are the highly-rated defender Tarciane, USA’s Emily Fox, the Ballon d’Or nominee Gabi Portilho, Barcelona’s Clàudia Pina, Japanese and Mexican starlets Momoko Tanikawa and Lizbeth Ovalle, as well as the NWSL rookie of the year Croix Bethune, among others including England’s Grace Clinton and Jess Carter. Some though have stood the test of time, with Lucy Bronze, Wendie Renard, Jenni Hermoso, Pernille Harder and Saki Kumagai continuing their records of appearing in every top 100 list. Barcelona remain the club with the most players this list, with 14 this year in comparison to 15 last time around, closely followed by Lyon with 12, while Chelsea and Arsenal both have nine players in the top 100. It was a good year for Mexico’s Liga MX side Tigres who have two players for the first time, while the likes of Corinthians, Eintracht Frankfurt, Bay FC, Houston Dash and many others are represented. Sign up to Moving the Goalposts No topic is too small or too big for us to cover as we deliver a twice-weekly roundup of the wonderful world of women’s football after newsletter promotion Spain also remain the most represented nation, closely followed by England in second – just one player behind – and USA while Germany and Brazil are recognised for a positive Olympic Games, with 15 players between them. Spain’s Liga F, though, drops from first to third when it comes to leagues represented, with the Women’s Super League leading the way with 27, closely followed by the NWSL with 22 players in this year’s list. As she was last year, Real Madrid and Colombia sensation Linda Caicedo is one of the youngest players, joined by fellow 19-year-old Tanikawa after a stunning season helping Rosengård back to the top of the Damallsvenskan. At the other end of the spectrum, it’s a welcome return for Marta after one of the greatest players ever won the NWSL Championship for the first time and got her hands on an Olympic silver medal with Brazil at the age of 38. While many missed out, some only narrowly, there was plenty of young talent recognised with Kika Nazareth the unlucky finisher in 101st, while Fuka Nagano, Jess Park and Rebecca Bernal were all among those in the first 10 outside the top 100. Other exceptional youngsters such as Lily Yohannes, Aoba Fujino, Janina Minge, Kiko Seike, Aggie Beever-Jones and many more all received votes this year but not enough to make the list. Time is on their side, though.