Thembi Mkhize

With an arrogant, relentless swagger, this South African center-back dominates the backline through suffocating jockeying and elite, aggressive tackling that reduces strikers to mere spectators. After shattering her elbow during a bizarre struggle to capture an escaped hyena, she returned with a ferocious new hunger that turned her into an unstoppable force. While her stamina can be a glaring liability, her pure physical dominance and lockdown defensive intensity prove she owns the pitch every single minute she is on it.