The players to watch out for in the Bundesliga

Alexandra Popp is a winner who plays hard and knows how to celebrate her victories. She's a leader on and off the pitch, not only at Wolfsburg but also for the German national team. The striker has won everything there is to win with the Wolves: seven Bundesliga titles, 11 German Cups, and two Champions League titles. But she's not done yet.

The 23-year-old joined Bayern Munich from Manchester City after winning Euro 2022 with England in the summer. Stanway, who can be effective in several midfield roles, has a nose for goal, having scored 30 in 94 appearances for City. She is strong in the tackle and a proven winner, having a Women's Super League title to go along with three FA Cups – in addition to her European Championship medal.

Freigang has always been a prolific goalscorer. The 24-year-old moved to Bundesliga side FFC Frankfurt after two years of seasoning at Pennsylvania State University. Since FFC became part of Eintracht Frankfurt in 2020 she has continued to be one of the Bundesliga's top goal-getters. However, her biggest individual ambition – finishing as the league's top-scorer – has eluded her so far.

The top scorer in the Bundesliga is awarded a trophy in the form of a miniature cannon – which Bayern Munich's Lea Schüller won last season. However, given the choice, the German striker would have probably traded that individual award for the Bundesliga or German Cup titles last season. Wolfsburg won both of those titles last season. Could things change in 2022-23?

The defensive midfielder made her Bundesliga debut for Essen in September 2018 at just 16 – and it wasn't long after that Lea Oberdorf received her first call-up to the national team. At 20, she's vastly experienced but remains one of the league's youngsters. Since her move to Wolfsburg in 2020, Oberdorf has won the German Cup twice to go along with her only Bundesliga title, so far...

The 31-year-old Japanese player is one of the league's most experienced. Saki Kumagai scored the goal in the penalty shootout that won Japan the 2011 World Cup final. She has also won the Champions League five times with European powerhouse Olympique Lyon. The defender, who joined Bayern in 2021, is no stranger to the Bundesliga, having played for FFC Frankfurt from 2011 to 2013.

Merle Frohms has returned "home" to Wolfsburg after a successful stint in Frankfurt. The 27-year-old was only the backup for the Wolves when she left in 2018, but now she has succeeded former No. 1 Almuth Schult – both at Wolfsburg and for Germany. Schult, 31, has moved to the United States to play for Angel City FC, an expansion team in the National Women's Soccer League.

If you play for Wolfsburg for as long as the Polish attacker has, you are bound to win a lot of titles. Ewa Pajor has seven German Cup winner's medals – to go along with five Bundesliga titles. However, the Bundesliga's top scorer in 2018-19 is still looking for her first Champions League trophy.

The Austrian is Hoffenheim's main weapon in front of goal, having found the back of the net 74 times in 139 Bundesliga games. The pacey attacker is difficult to knock off the ball, which may have something to do with the fact that she was a kickboxer until the age of 16. She was outstanding in that sport too, having won several world and European titles at youth level.

Billa's compatriot, Sarah Zadrazil, is one of the Bayern players who covers the most ground and wins the most tackles during any given match. She played for East Tennessee State University from 2012 to 2015 and was named player of the year in her second season. In 2016, she moved to Turbine Potsdam before signing for Bayern in 2021.

Speed, touch and experience - these are just three of the qualities Svenja Huth brings to the pitch for Wolfsburg. The midfielder is a goalscorer, but she's almost more dangerous when patrolling the right wing and delivering incisive crosses. Or when she plays her teammates into scoring positions with a clever through balls.

What Svenja Huth is to VfL Wolfsburg, Lina Magull is to Bayern Munich: an offensive-minded lynchpin in midfield. Before joining Bayern in 2018, the 28-year-old Magull spent three seasons each at Wolfsburg (2013-2015) and Freiburg (2015-2018). The Germany international may hail from Dortmund, but her role model in the men's game was former Bayern men's striker Roy Makaay.

Giulia Gwinn joined Bayern from Freiburg in 2019. This tireless runner not only closes players down at right back but also has a strong offensive side to her game. Still just 23, Gwinn has established herself as one of the most popular players in the Bundesliga, even before Euro 2022. Gwinn boasts almost 500,000 followers on Instagram.

Had she not sustained a torn cruciate ligament on Matchday 15, Selina Cerci probably would have finished as the Bundesliga's top scorer last season. By then Cerci had scored 13 goals for Turbine Potsdam – and it also turned out to be her last appearance for the club. The striker has moved west to Cologne for the 2022-23 campaign.