As we reach the midpoint of the European women’s 2025-26 club season, we can begin to discern the key narratives developing, the title challengers that have surfaced, and the standout players who have captured the spotlight.
The beginning of the new year signals the final leg of competitions such as England’s Women’s Super League, Spain’s Liga F, and Germany’s Frauen-Bundesliga. But which players have distinguished themselves in each of Europe’s top five leagues so far?
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Bühl has emerged as one of the preeminent players globally this season. The 25-year-old winger from Germany has thrived under coach José Barcala’s new tactical system at Bayern, becoming a creative powerhouse and consistently stepping up in critical moments.
With 19 assists across all competitions already by December, she leads the Frauen-Bundesliga with 13 assists and the UEFA Women’s Champions League with 8. Remarkably, she has equaled her personal best for assists in the Frauen-Bundesliga, and we are only halfway through the season.
No player has generated more chances (63) in the league than the former Freiburg star. Aside from the impressive number of chances, the variety in her opportunity creation is a major challenge for opposing defenses, featuring crosses, incisive through balls, and cutbacks, and she also takes set pieces.
Bühl is relentless in her pursuit to penetrate the opposition’s box, boasting the highest number of progressive carries (70) and carries into the penalty area (43). Her tireless work rate makes her exceptionally difficult for any defender to contain throughout the match.
Honorable mention: Hoffenheim’s Selina Cerci has also excelled in the Frauen-Bundesliga this season, contributing to 50% of her team’s goals with 14 goal involvements. However, Bühl’s extraordinary statistics outshine her competition.
Under coach Andrée Jeglertz, Manchester City is emerging as serious WSL title contenders, led by their great striker Shaw. The Jamaican forward has netted 12 goals this season, the highest in the WSL, already matching her total from the previous season in just 11 matches. Notably, she has scored more than twice the number of goals as the league’s second top scorer, Kirsty Hanson of Aston Villa (6), and has contributed to scoring in nine of her twelve games, including the last five consecutively.
Shaw is especially dangerous within the opponent’s penalty area, allowing her to create high-quality chances, and she leads the league with 114 touches in this area. Her expected goals (xG) tally stands at 12.2, surpassing five entire teams in the WSL this season.
As a dynamic ball carrier, she bulldozes through opposing defenses, making her tough to stop in confrontations. Only Arsenal’s Olivia Smith (28) and Caitlin Foord (24) have recorded more carries into the penalty box than her (21). She also ranks among the top three for both attempted and completed take-ons (44 and 21, respectively).
Honorable mention: None. The 28-year-old has truly set herself apart this season in the WSL, being the only player with double digits in goal contributions. Her four-goal performance against Aston Villa last month made her the all-time hat trick leader in the WSL.
As the first recipient of the women’s Kopa Trophy awarded to the world’s best under-21 player, López has been outstanding this season. The 19-year-old has risen to the occasion and stepped up remarkably in the absence of three-time Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmatí.
López has proven to be a game changer whenever she is on the pitch, leading the league in multiple statistical categories. She is one of only two players in Liga F with five or more goals and assists this season (the other being Atlético Madrid’s Luany), and she boasts the second-highest non-penalty xG (6.6).
Always possessing great talent, the Spain international has now added a level of consistency to her final third play. Barça frequently relies on her to unlock defenses with her exquisite touch and well-timed passes. She has registered the most shot-creating actions in the league (77), with 57 stemming from open play.
López is a thrilling ball carrier full of skills in one-on-one situations. Her progressive carries (58) further highlight her offensive threat, as she also ranks among the top five in attempted (52) and completed (27) take-ons, and in total progressive passes (100).
Honorable mention: While Barcelona’s dominance continued with a remarkable 12-1 win against Madrid CFF, her teammates Ewa Pajor, Clàudia Pina, and Alexia Putellas have also excelled in various respects, but the 19-year-old has showcased a comprehensive skill set this season.
OL Lyonnes has seen substantial changes heading into the 2025-26 season with the hiring of Jonatan Giráldez and the recruitment of promising young talent to initiate a new chapter. Yet, it’s Dumornay who has emerged as the pivotal player for the team.
At just 22, the Haitian international is a major force on the field, delivering crucial goals and assists while demonstrating extraordinary vision and skill. Under Giráldez, she has seized the reigns of Lyon’s offense, consistently making her mark in the attacking third with impressive statistics.
Despite playing only 57.6% of the available minutes this season, Dumornay ranks fourth in the league for touches in the attacking third (243) and is second only to Montpellier’s Sonia Ouchene in assists (5).
Her creativity from open play is exceptional, leading to a league-high number of shot-creating actions (47) alongside an expected assists tally of 3.3, the highest in the league.
Honorable mention: PSG’s Romée Leuchter has been a bright spot for a struggling team, leading in total goals and assists. However, her overall metrics have not matched Dumornay’s, as four of her nine goals have come from penalties, and her chance creation relies heavily on set pieces.
Roma’s season has had its ups and downs, evident by their exit from UWCL contrasted against their five-point lead in Serie A. Nevertheless, captain Giugliano has consistently shone through all challenges.
The midfielder has played a crucial role in the final third, significantly contributing with goals and assists. She leads Roma as their top scorer and is second in assists, with only Inter Milan’s Tessa Wullaert having more overall goal contributions (13).
Renowned for her creative play, she leads the league in shot-creating actions both in total and on a per-90-minute basis (39 and 6.04 respectively). Her exceptional set-piece delivery has also positioned her as a pivotal player in dead-ball situations.
Honorable mention: Wullaert, who has been instrumental for Inter Milan, currently leads the league in both goals and assists. However, it’s worth mentioning that her stats significantly exceed her underlying metrics, as she has six non-penalty goals from a non-penalty xG of just 2.7, with her six assists coming in only two matches (four vs. AC Milan and two vs. Ternana).