Women’s Ballon d’Or nominees were announced today by France Football, who organize the annual award. Barcelona top the list with five players shortlisted.
After last year cancellation due to Covid-19, Ballon d’Or is back. France Football presented a shortlist of 20 players, who remain in the battle for the award. Just six out of 20 have been nominated in the last selection in 2019. Those six are Pernille Harder, Sam Kerr, Lieke Martens, Viviane Miedema, Wendie Renard and Ellen White.
Here are the 20 nominees for the Women’s #ballondor pic.twitter.com/9TPAnl3oR8
— France Football #BallondOr (@francefootball) October 8, 2021
Five players, Irene Paredes, Christiane Endler, Jennifer Hermoso, Lieke Martens, and Alexia Putellas are Barcelona players. The last three played a big part in the historic Blaugrana triple. Samantha Mewis and Christine Sinclair are the only two shortlisted players that don’t play in Europe.
So far, two awards were given out. Ada Hegerberg won it in 2018, while in 2019, Megan Repinoe was named the best female player of the year.
Full list of Women’s Ballon d’Or nominees:
Kadidiatou Diani (FRA/PSG)
Fran Kirby (ENG/Chelsea)
Jennifer Hermoso (SPA/FC Barcelona)
Christiane Endler (CHL/PSG, OL)
Christine Sinclair (CAN/Thorns FC)
Ashley Lawrence (CAN/PSG)
Irene Paredes (SPA/PSG, FC Barcelona)
Jessie Fleming (CAN/Chelsea)
Lieke Martens (NED/FC Barcelona)
Sandra Panos (SPA/FC Barcelona)
Viviane Miedema (NED/Arsenal)
Ellen White (ENG/Manchester City)
Pernille Harder (DAN/Chelsea)
Samantha Mewis (CAN/North Carolina Courage)
Wendie Renard (FRA/OL)
Marie-Antoinette Katoto (FRA/PSG)
Stina Blackstenius (DAN/Häcken)
Magdalena Eriksson (SWE/Chelsea)
Sam Kerr (AUS/Chelsea)
Alexia Putellas (SPA/FC Barcelona)