Who to succeed Ada Hegerberg, Megan Rapinoe and Alexia Putellas? Before the Ballon d’Or ceremony, which should reward, Monday, October 17 in Paris, the best player of the season, all bets are off. At the end of a rich season, concluded by the most watched Euro in the history of women’s football in England, many players are eligible for the prize. After two years when the name of the winner was not in much doubt, the questions surrounding the identity of the big winner testify to a discipline that continues to open up.
All Women’s Ballon d’Or #ballondor pic.twitter.com/5Mkp3iFZrf
— Ballon d’Or #ballondor (@francefootball) October 14, 2022
Rarely has the Women’s Golden Ball experienced such a hotly contested competition, for its fourth edition. England’s Beth Mead, Millie Bright and Lucy Bronze, winners of the Euros on home soil at the end of July, lead the list of favorites to win the prize. Among them, Arsenal striker Beth Mead, the competition’s best player and golden shoe, stands out in particular.
Defending champion Alexia Putellas is also among the candidates for his succession. Before her rupture of the cruciate ligaments which deprived her of the Euro, the Catalan had a full season with Barça, marked by 30 victories in as many league games and a European final. She was already named best player of the season by UEFA last August. We must not forget the German revelation Lena Oberdorf (20), German champion with Wolfsburg and finalist of the Euro, and her teammate Alexandra Popp, executioner of the Blue in the semi-finals.
Such diversity is quite unusual for the prize, which has so far rarely fueled major debates. In 2021, the name of Alexia Putellas had imposed itself. Leader of a record Barcelona team, author of the La Liga-Champions League-Spanish Cup treble, the native of Mollet del Vallès had left her mark on the season in Spain and Europe. On November 29, the trophy was awarded to her hands down, with more than 100 points ahead of her runner-up, teammate and compatriot, Jennifer Hermoso.
Golden Ball of the #FIFAWWC 2019
Megan Rapinoe
Lucy Bronze
Rose Lavelle#USA #ENG #USA pic.twitter.com/y4mlEd6VX8— FIFA.com (FR) ⚽ (@fifacom_fr) July 7, 2019
Megan Rapinoe had also been crowned without too much surprise in 2019. Winner of the 2019 World Cup in France with the American selection, of which she was co-captain, she had shone throughout the tournament. With 230 votes, she had collected a third of the votes for the Women’s Golden Ball, and had left only crumbs to her 19 competitors.
The evolution shows the progression of the performances of the clubs and the players, more and more numerous to climb to the top. With an unprecedented English European champion, a Champions League final table made up of a mix of historic clubs (Lyon, Wolfsburg) and new forces on the board (Barcelona, Arsenal), the number of contenders is increasing to win the best individual rewards.
Another sign that the competition has opened, this year, the discussions and complaints started as soon as the list of nominees was announced. Many players have regretted the absence of the final list of English midfielder Keira Walsh, brilliant at the Euro this summer. “Thank you but I don’t deserve this. The Lionesses’ best player during the Euros was Keira Walsh. That should be the first English name on the list!”, had even reacted his compatriot Lucy Bronze on Instagram the day of the formalization of the names retained. As with the men’s trophy, the women’s Ballon d’Or is now accompanied by its challenges. And the name of the winner will undoubtedly continue to fuel the debate.