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Jonathan White

There are fewer Asian players on this year’s “The 100 best female footballers in the world 2020” list, with none from China.
The list, which is co-produced by The Guardian and The Offside Rule podcast, features only three Asian footballers among the top 100 this year, down from five in 2019.
Japan’s Saki Kumagai was named as the 11th best player on the planet this year – the highest ever ranking for an Asian footballer and up from her previous best of 31 last year.
The Lyon midfielder scored the same number of points as the list’s 10th ranked player, her clubmate Delphine Cascarino, and unlucky to miss out on a first top 10 appearance.

First Non-British woman to reach 100 appearances in Barclays Women's Super League.

JI SO-YUN#CFCW pic.twitter.com/am6EJsciHX
— CHELSEA WOMEN TEAM (@Chelseawomen_) December 7, 2020

The 30-year-old scored in the final as Lyon maintained their stranglehold on the Uefa Women’s Champions League.
Kumagai is joined by South Korea and Chelsea midfielder Ji So-yun in 16th, up from 58th last year. Ji is one of 11 Chelsea players on the list, including Pernille Harder in top spot.
Wang Shuang dedicates Wuhan’s CWSL title to Covid-19 medical workers
The only other Asian player in this year’s top 100 is Kumi Yokoyama of Japan and Washington Spirit. Yokoyama is a re-entry this year having missed out on the 2019 list.
Last year there five Asian players on the list: Kumagai (31), Yuki Nagasato (40), Ji (58), Mana Iwabuchi (70) and Yuika Sagasawa (93).
The 2018 list – the first published in conjunction with The Guardian since The Offside Rule began it in 2016 – featured six Asian players, including the last Chinese entry.

Off to a good start in the CL. Nice to be back pic.twitter.com/ClrbpHqlU7
— Pernille Harder (@PernilleMHarder) December 9, 2020

Kumagai was once again top in 18th place, Ji followed in 41 before the Japanese trio of Iwabuchi (62), Nahomi Kuwasami (89) and Nagasato (96).
China’s Wang Shuang was ranked at 97. The Paris Saint-Germain forward returned to the list after missing out in 2017 but dropped from her rank of 87 on the original edition.
Wang, who returned to China to prepare for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, had a strange year.
Wang Shuang rejoins China squad after Wuhan lock down ends
The Wuhan native was locked down in her hometown from January as it battled the earliest outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. That was why she missed out on China’s troubled Tokyo Olympics qualifying trip to Australia, where her teammates had to train in hotel corridors during quarantine.
Still, Wang won the Chinese Women’s Super League with Wuhan Jianghan University in a format that was restructured for Covid-19. The Wuhan side topped the regular season table and then beat Jiangsu in the final of the championship stage, winning 4-0 behind closed doors in October before dedicating the title to the Covid-19 medical workers.
Jiangsu’s Malawi international striker Tabitha Chawinga was the only player from the CWSL to make the top 100 this year, rounding out the list after dropping from 95 last year.

In contrast, there were 28 players from England’s Women’s Super League, 20 from France’s Division 1 Feminine and 15 from Germany’s Women’s Bundesliga, while the highest non-European league representation was the NWSL in the US with 13 – down from its top-ranked 29 players last year.
Chawinga was close to being joined by another CWSL player this year in Shanghai Shengli’s Zambia international Barbra Banda, who finished 103rd on the vote.
Last year Chawinga was the sole CWSL representative on the list, down from three in 2019: Cristiane (52), Chawinga (71) and Asisat Oshoala (86).
Coach Rambo stays positive as Hong Kong women’s football toughs it out
While Chawinga remains at Jiangsu, Nigeria striker Oshoala now plays at Barcelona and Cristiane is at Santos in her native Brazil.
Oshoala, ranked at 33, and Cristiane (98) are the only former CWSL players on this year’s list.
There have been several notable absentees this year, with Megan Rapinoe not featuring on the list. The US women’s national team star has not played since scoring against Japan on March 25 in the SheBelieves Cup. Rapinoe decided not to rejoin the USWL in its Covid-19 bubble.

The situation was mentioned by the judges, who described it as a “turbulent year”.
“There were some tough decisions to be made this year off the back of such a hole in the women’s football calendar, with Europe less affected in the timescale of games we take into account when judging the top 100,” wrote judge Rich Laverty in The Guardian.


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Asian Football Confederation (AFC)

Fewer Asians, no Chinese on Top 100 women’s footballer list

Lyon's Saki Kumagai celebrates with the trophy after winning the Uefa Women's Champions League. Photo: Reuters

(201006) -- KUNMING, Oct. 6, 2020 (Xinhua) -- Wang Shuang (C) of Wuhan Chedu Jianghan University warms up during the Championship group's 3rd round match between Wuhan Chedu Jianghan University and Beijing BG Development at the 2020 Chinese Football Association (CFA) Women's Super League in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, Oct. 6, 2020. (Photo by Chen Xinbo/Xinhua)

Soccer Football - 2018 Asian Games - Women's Gold Medal Match - Japan v China - JSC - Gelora Sriwijaya - Palembang, Indonesia - August 31, 2018 - Rin Sumida and Emi Nakajima of Japan in action with Wang Shuang of China. REUTERS/Edgar Su

AFC star Saki Kumagai has brought World Cup and Champions League winning mentality to Asian women’s football

Japan and Olympique Lyonnais star Saki Kumagai (left) wins AFC women's player of the year and poses with Al Sadd SC coach Xavi Hernandez, who receives the men's player of the year award on behalf of Akram Afif. Photo: AFP

(COMBO) This combination of file photographs created on November 26, 2019, shows (L) Barcelona's Argentine forward Lionel Messi controlling the ball during the Spanish league football match between FC Barcelona and RC Celta de Vigo at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on November 9, 2019 and United States' forward Megan Rapinoe (R) fighting for the ball during the 2019 Women's World Cup quarter-final football match between France and United States at The Parc des Princes stadium in Paris on June 28, 2019. - The Ballon d'Or ceremony will take place on December 2, 2019 in Paris. (Photos by Josep LAGO and FRANCK FIFE / AFP)

Saki Kumagai of Japan, winner of AFC Women's Player of the Year at the AFC Annual Awards presentation held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) in Wan Chai. 02DEC19 SCMP / K. Y. Cheng

(centre) Betty Wong Yeuk-ling, the women's football manager of Hong Kong Football Association, at the Hong Kong Jockey Club HKFA Football Training Centre in Tseung Kwan O. 30SEP19 SCMP / David Wong

FILE PHOTO: Britain Football Soccer - Olympique Lyonnais v Paris Saint Germain - UEFA Women's Champions League Final - Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales - 1/6/17 Lyon's Saki Kumagai celebrates with the trophy after winning the UEFA Women's Champions League Final Reuters / Darren Staples Livepic EDITORIAL USE ONLY./File Photo

AFC player of the year: Xavi and Gianni Infantino in Hong Kong to crown Japan’s Saki Kumagai and Qatar’s Akram Afif as top Asian players

Japan’s Saki Kumagai is all smiles after winning the AFC Women’s Player of the Year award at the AFC Annual Awards in Wan Chai. Photos: K.Y. Cheng

(right) Saki Kumagai of Japan, winner of AFC Women's Player of the Year at the AFC Annual Awards presentation held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) in Wan Chai. 02DEC19 SCMP / K. Y. Cheng

Timothy Fok Tsun-ting (centre) receives the AFC Member Association of the Year (Developing) from AFC President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa (right) at the AFC Annual Awards presentation held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) in Wan Chai. 02DEC19 SCMP / K. Y. Cheng

Wang Shuang dedicates Wuhan’s CWSL title to city’s Covid-19 medical workers

Wang Shuang (centre) of Wuhan Chedu Jianghan University warms up ahead of a Chinese Women's Super League game in Kunming. Photo: Xinhua

Wang Shuang rejoins China women’s football team after Wuhan lock down ends

Wang Shuang (second from right) and her teammates cheer for China ahead of the 2019 Fifa Women’s World Cup round of 16 against Italy in Montpellier, France. China lost 2-0. Photo: Xinhua

(190626) -- MONTPELLIER, June 26, 2019 (Xinhua) -- Wang Shuang (R) of China competes during the round of 16 match between China and Italy at the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in Montpellier, France, June 25, 2019. China lost 0-2. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)

(190227) -- ALBUFEIRA, Feb. 27, 2019 (Xinhua) -- Chinese women's soccer player Wang Shuang (C) and her teammates take part in a training session in Albufeira, Portugal, Feb. 26, 2019. The 2019 Algarve Cup will be held in Algarve of Portugal from Feb. 27 to March 6, 2019. Chinese women's soccer team will face their first opponent the Norwegian team on March 1. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

epa07100716 Wang Shuang (C) of PSG celebrates with team mates after scoring the opening during the Women's Champions League round of 16, first leg soccer match between Linkopings FC and Paris SG at Linkoping Arena, Sweden, 17 October 2018. EPA-EFE/Stefan Jerrevang SWEDEN OUT SWEDEN OUT

Coronavirus not stopping Wang Shuang and Chinese Super League stars from training

Wang Shuang in action for China at the Asian Games. Photo: Reuters

Sport

Football

China


Lyon and Japan star Saki Kumagai heads three players from region as representation drops year-on-year
China star Wang Shuang misses out again after 2020 that saw her locked down in her native Wuhan before winning the league



Lyon and Japan star Saki Kumagai heads three players from region as representation drops year-on-year


Chinese Football Association (CFA)