Who were the best performers in the Olympic women’s soccer tournament?

Her stamina and defensive work rate were arguably more impressive than her three tournament goals. She played all 330 minutes in the knockout rounds.

6. Sophia Smith | USA

Smith scored the semifinal game-winner in extra time versus Germany, displaying her instinct around goal. Her threat draws defenders centrally to open space out wide for Rodman and Mallory Swanson.

Smith, scoring three goals this tournament, also became the first U.S. player ever to win an Olympic gold medal on her birthday.

5. Ann-Katrin Berger | Germany

Germany would not have medaled at this tournament without the stellar play from its goalkeeper.

Berger saved two penalties and scored one against Canada in the quarterfinals to help her side advance. In the bronze-medal match, she saved a Spanish penalty kick from Alexia Putellas in the dying seconds to preserve a 1-0 lead. 

4. Alyssa Naeher | USA

Even considering Berger’s heroics, Naeher was the Olympics’ most productive and impactful goalkeeper, conceding only two goals all tournament.

Naeher denied a game-tying opportunity in both the semifinals and the gold-medal match. Against Germany, she jumped into a starfish to deny Laura Freigang in stoppage time. Against Brazil, she pawed away Adriana’s stoppage-time chance.

Naeher became the first goalkeeper ever to post a shutout in both a FIFA Women’s World Cup and Olympic final.

3. Barbra Banda | Zambia

Banda’s production despite the Zambian defensive ineptitude was one of the most impressive feats of the tournament.

She’s the only player ever to score three hat-tricks in just five career Olympic matches. Currently the leading goal-scorer in the National Women’s Soccer League, Banda’s club and international output has many calling on her to receive this year’s Ballon d’Or, the sport’s highest individual honor. 

2. Naomi Girma | USA

The “best defender” Emma Hayes has ever seen put in one of the greatest defensive performances in Olympic history. 

Two of its three knockout games went to extra time, and still the United States did not concede a single goal. Girma dominated in possession as well, coming into the gold-medal match completing 96 percent of her passes.

1. Mallory Swanson | USA

After suffering a torn patella tendon that ruled her out of last year’s World Cup, Swanson was the second-leading goal scorer in her comeback tournament. The most important of her four goals was the game-winner Saturday in the gold-medal match.

The glue of the forward trio dubbed the “Triple Espresso,” Swanson has solidified herself as the heir to forward legend Alex Morgan.