Martina Voss-Tecklenburg

The reigning Germany coach took her first footballing steps in secret but soon embarked on a rapid ascent in the women's game. Shortly after joining KBC Duisburg, having initially concealed her attendance at training due to opposition from her family, she won the DFB Cup at the tender age of 15. Her rise up the career ladder continued apace. She made her international debut aged 16, won the German Championship at 17 and then, aged 21, played a key role as Germany won the UEFA Women's EURO for the first time in 1989.

When a trophy was up for grabs, then, the young Voss-Tecklenburg was always around. She was therefore the obvious choice when the Women's Footballer of the Year award made its debut in 1996. And she was the first player to win it a second time. This success, coupled with her unbridled determination and ambition, saw her develop formidable leadership qualities on the pitch. She was not slow at coming forward off it either, which wasn't always to everyone's liking. "My tenacity sometimes made me demand too much of those around me," she says today.

The 125-times-capped player ended her career having won four European Championships, six German Championships and four DFB Cups plus a World Cup runners-up medal, a clear indication that the agenda she set was rarely the wrong one. She has since reached the top as a coach, too.