1. ESTHER GONZÁLEZ
Of course, it isn’t an MVP discussion without the current leader of the Golden Boot race – Esther González.
Even in the midst of the summer break, González didn’t exactly rest on her laurels. Instead, she went on a scoring tear in the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 for her native Spain, who are set to take on England in the final.
“She’s always a threat and [she’s] scoring goals for fun this year,” Sanderson said. “Even when the team hasn’t played well, she has.”
If her play during the summer break is any indication, González won’t slow down any time soon, but one of the best things about the NWSL is that any team can win at any time and any player can burst onto the scene, even as the season winds down.
You can catch Sanderson’s expert analysis for NWSL games on ESPN.