Nia Nurjanah

With an imposing stature and a lightning-quick instinct for reading passes, this Indonesian defensive powerhouse dominates the midfield, even though her gas tank often hits empty by the final whistle. Before kickoff, she keeps teammates amused by meticulously tying her laces using a bizarre, self-invented secret knot. While her squad just shakes their heads, she claims this eccentric ritual is the only way to channel her raw aggression into pinpoint defensive focus.