Who will win FIFA’s top individual award for women’s soccer? We won’t know until they give out the award on January 9, 2017, but FIFA has announced their 10-player shortlist for the honor.
Camille Abily
Starring for a team like Olympique Lyon, who won their domestic league and the Champions League, makes her nomination pretty straightforward.
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Melanie Behringer
Behringer led the Olympics with five goals. Being the top scorer at the biggest international tournament of the year is a good way to get in the spotlight. Starring for Bayern Munich helps too.
Unfortunately for us, she retired in August so we won’t see her play again.
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Sara Dabritz
Dabritz joined Behringer in helping Germany take Olympic gold and putting Bayern Munich on top of the Bundesliga. The 21-year-old midfielder probably won’t take home the award this year, but she’s going to be among the world’s best for a long time.
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Amandine Henry
Henry was part of the Olympique Lyon team that took home the Champions League, then she jumped to NWSL, where she helped the Portland Thorns put together a terrific season. The team fell short in the playoffs, but she was outstanding all season, with Lyon, the Thorns and France at the Olympics.
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Saki Kumagai
Another Lyon star, it’s no wonder Kumagai is here. It is difficult for a defender to be honored among the best in the world, but she is extraordinary.
Carli Lloyd
Lloyd won this award last year and had another great year in 2016. She has 14 goals for the U.S. so far this year, but defending her title will be tough considering her relative struggles for the Houston Dash and the Americans’ early exit from the Olympics.
Dzsenifer Marozsan
Another Olympique Lyon player, which makes it pretty obvious why they are the best team in the sport. She was terrific in helpig Germany capture Olympic gold.
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Marta
The Brazilian is on this list every year and for good reason. She helped her country make the semifinals at the Olympics and penalty kicks were all that separated her from a chance at gold on home soil. She was outstanding in the tournament and made it clear, once again, that she is one of the best in the world.
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Lotta Schelin
Sweden made the Olympic final because of their defense, but they still needed something going forward. Schelin helped with that and she buried the first penalty kick both times Sweden went to a shootout (and they won both). She now plays for Rosengard, but Schelin was part of the Olympique Lyon team that won the Champions League in the spring.
Christine Sinclair
Canada took home a surprise bronze at the Olympics and, unsurprisingly, Sinclair was there to lead the way. She scored three goals in the tournament, including the winner in the bronze medal match. Sinclair also added six goals for the excellent Portland Thorns.
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