Editing Ashley Moriarty (section)

=== Rivalry with Alexia Putellas ===
As two of the most talented female players in the world, comparisons have often been made between Moriarty and Putellas. These comparisons became a full-blown rivalry in 2021, when Moriarty was sought after by both Real Madrid and Barcelona (the latter of which Putellas became captain of that same year). Media and fans pushed for Moriarty to sign with Real Madrid, calling it the "Messi–Ronaldo rivalry of the women's game."

In 2021, at a press conference after Moriarty and Putellas' second competitive meeting, Moriarty said this about their relationship:<blockquote>"Naturally there is always rivalry between the captains of two top teams, especially if its Real Madrid and Barcelona. But the media makes it look like there's bad blood between us—there isn't. It's actually the opposite. I think we have more respect for each other because of it. Of course, we're not friends off the pitch either—I don't think we really could be. That doesn't really happen at our level. We respect each other for sure, but we wouldn't go out for dinner or anything."</blockquote>Putellas later echoed these comments, saying "we can't be friends on the pitch, and we don't see each other much off of it... if we were both with the same country things might be different. But no, there is no hate between us."

In July 2022, after Putellas suffered an ACL injury that would rule her out of most of the 2022-23 season, Moriarty said that she wished her "a fast recovery," and that she would "miss her on the pitch."

When Valoria and Spain met in the final of the 2023 Women's World Cup, the Moriarty–Putellas rivalry exploded, with media labelling it as the "battle for the crown." After the match, which ended in a 2 - 1 victory for Valoria (and in which the pair scored all their countries' respective goals), Moriarty commented that "Putellas really is a fantastic player—she's the only person that makes me nervous when I see her across the pitch." Putellas, in turn, said she was "obviously disappointed with the result," and did not comment on Moriarty's performance, even when pressed. Reports in the media suggested the match had greatly strained their relationship, although Moriarty responded by saying "it didn't—we didn't have much of one to start."