The fourth recipient of the Women’s Ballon d’Or is due to be announced on Monday evening at a ceremony held at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris.
Despite the men’s award being handed out every year since 1956, the women’s version was only introduced in 2018. The first female winner was Norway international Ada Hegerberg, followed the year after by the U.S’s Megan Rapinoe, before a gap in 2020 due to Covid-19, resuming with Spain’s Alexia Putellas picking up two consecutive trophies in 2021 and 2022.
The 2018 women’s winner Hegerberg with Luka Modric and Kylian Mbappe (FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images)
Since its inception, Australian striker Sam Kerr and French defender Wendie Renard are the only two players to have been nominated every year, with the former finishing third for the last two years.
In the aftermath of some outstanding performances at the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, this year’s list is stronger than ever.
So our women’s football experts Charlotte Harpur, Laia Cervello Herrero, Katie Whyatt and Chloe Morgan give their verdicts on potential winners, outside choices and the rising standard of the award.
Ballon d’Or winner
Charlotte Harpur: Aitana Bonmati. It felt like she was always the bridesmaid but never the bride. In the 2021-22 season, team-mate Alexia Putellas stole the show in every aspect, even when her performances were below par.
When Putellas was ruled out with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, Bonmati stepped up to the plate and took the opportunity with both hands by having, in her words, her “most complete season”.
Bonmati with the 2023 FIFA Golden Ball award (Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
In Putellas’ absence, Bonmati adopted a higher position, edging closer to goal, allowing us to see her more attacking side. She scored five goals and registered eight assists in the Champions League, a total of 13 goal contributions — more than any other player. Her full potential is yet to be unleashed.
The World Cup Golden Ball winner reigned supreme and conquered the treble, winning Liga F and the Champions League with Barcelona, and the World Cup with Spain.
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The 25-year-old has a steely mentality and is exceptional at recovering the ball. In possession, she glides in midfield when given space but is also adept at getting out of tight situations. Bonmati finds solutions with key passes quickly and effectively, making her one of the best contributors in the game.
Putellas understandably didn’t make the nominations list this year, so the Ballon d’Or crown will have a new owner, but my guess is that it will stay in Spain.
Could we see the first Ballon d’Or winning goalkeeper?
Chloe Morgan: Yes. But out of the list of 30 nominees, there’s only one. Who else but Mary, Queen of Stops?
The Ballon d’Or is possibly the last piece of individual silverware that Earps is missing, having collected the FIFA Best Goalkeeper, England Player of the Year and the World Cup Golden Glove this year. Or is it? Earps has just been nominated for the 2023 BBC Sports Personality of the Year award, which will be announced on November 28.
Earps celebrates during the Nations League match against Scotland (Lewis Storey/Getty Images)
Alongside the awards, Earps broke a WSL record last season — the first (and so far only) goalkeeper to keep 50 clean sheets — and engaged in a huge battle with Nike resulting in them selling her Lionesses goalkeeper shirt for the first time in history.
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Her bravery in advocating for positive social change before the biggest tournament of her career is iconic; her performance at the World Cup was almost faultless. There are few who could forget that penalty save in the final against Jennifer Hermoso.
Her showings for Manchester United last season were undoubtedly a big part of the reason they qualified for the Champions League for the first time and secured their highest-ever WSL finish by finishing runners-up to Chelsea.
As long as her trophy cabinet can withstand the additional weight, there’s a good chance it could be taking pride of place in the north of England on Monday night.
Who is the young star to watch?
Katie Whyatt: Salma Paralluelo.
It’s tricky trying to predict a winner because it still feels as though visibility plays such a huge role. Take Rapinoe’s 2019 win: she secured more than twice as many points as second-placed Lucy Bronze, after a huge World Cup, even though she made only five club appearances that year.
Barcelona’s Champions League-winning 19-year-old Salma Paralluelo is therefore an interesting case. She lacks the profile of names like Kerr and Millie Bright, even after a solid club season. But the force with which she asserted herself on the world stage this summer might play well with voters — indeed, she won Best Young Player at the World Cup.
Paralluelo is a World Cup winner (Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
Her extra-time goal against the Netherlands sent Spain into the World Cup semi-finals for the first time in their history. Coming off the bench in the semi-final, she put Spain into the lead with 10 minutes to go before Olga Carmona, in response to Sweden’s equaliser, struck a last-minute winner. Her versatility and footwork in the final third showed why Paralluelo is being tipped to be the next icon of the women’s game.
The outside choices?
Morgan: Republic of Ireland defender Katie McCabe. She captained her side to their first World Cup this summer, picking up their first World Cup point in a draw against Nigeria. The Irish arguably had one of the hardest groups in the competition, facing hosts Australia and Olympic champions Canada in their opening two games. McCabe’s leadership was evident; there was a confidence in her side in holding the top teams to account.
On a personal level, McCabe scored Ireland’s first World Cup goal against Canada, and it was a moment of unforgettable brilliance. The Arsenal stalwart scored direct from a corner: a curling ball which clipped both the crossbar and far post.
McCabe with her player of the match award against Canada (Will Russell – FIFA via Getty Images)
In the WSL for Arsenal, McCabe is known for her tenacity and fearlessness, coming through in key moments. Against Bristol City this season, for example, McCabe scored the winner, firing the ball in from over 30 yards out.
Colombia’s Linda Caicedo could also be worthy of consideration. The 18-year-old is heavily tipped to be the next big superstar in women’s football; the World Cup was her showreel.
Caicedo was already on the rise to fame having secured a contract with Real Madrid in February, but her welcome-to-the-main-stage moment came in the group game against Germany. A top-corner strike so perfect it won the best goal of the tournament and was nominated for a Puskas Award.
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Caicedo has also played in two youth World Cups last year but it has been no easy journey for her: she was diagnosed with cancer — aged 15 and during the Covid-19 pandemic.
At Madrid, Caicedo is making her mark this season, scoring one goal and recording three assists across six games. Caicedo will have her first taste of life in the Champions League soon as they take on Chelsea in the first group stage game on November 15. Blues boss Emma Hayes will need to watch out…
**Is the winner more obvious than in previous years? **
Laia Cervello Herrero: For the last two years, Putellas has won it. Although it might seem obvious now, prior to 2021, there might have been doubts that she would win it — because no Spanish player had ever lifted the trophy. Now she’s the first and only female player to have two awards. Putellas spent most of last season recovering from an ACL injury sustained at the start of the European Championship.
This undoubtedly had an impact on her not being on the nominees list and in contention for a third successive trophy.
In steps Bonmati, who was nominated for the first time in 2022’s list.
This year she is the favourite but, placed between a World Cup final captain (Bright), a player who has been nominated every year since the award began (Kerr) and the world’s best goalkeeper (Earps), she is is also an example of the significant standard players are expected to reach to win a Ballon d’Or.
Kerr is the key player for Australia and Chelsea (Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
This year, there is a block of Spanish and Barcelona players among whom the prize could be shared. But Bonmati decided that this was going to be her year and has made it very easy for those who have to vote on who should win the award.
She won the Champions League and the World Cup, yes, but she was also named best player in both competitions. And the circumstances are right for it to be even more obvious.
(Top photo: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images, Elsa – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images, Steve Christo – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images; design: Eamonn Dalton)
