Kaoru Takase

After overcoming a severe thigh tear sustained in a bizarre lawnmower accident, this towering Japanese defender has channelled that pain into an relentless drive to dominate. With her imposing stature, she reigns supreme in the air while utilising aggressive, precision-timed tackles to shut down opposition threats. Though her footwork can occasionally lack fluidity during intricate man-marking sequences, her elite defensive IQ and iron-willed intensity make her an almost immovable force at the back.