Meet Five Nominees Women's Footballer of The Year 2017
Meet Five Nominees Women's Footballer of The Year 2017
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LONDON - Fans from across the world have been voting for their favourite since the five-player shortlist of Melanie Behringer, Ada Hegerberg, Hedvig Lindahl, Marta, and Christine Sinclair was revealed on 30 April. The winner of the award will be announced on Tuesday, 30 May.
Here we look at the five contenders:
1. Melanie Behringer
Meet the German and Bayern Munich player who is one of five nominees.
Country: Germany
Caps : 123
Goals : 34
Club : Bayern Munich
Position: Midfielder
Age : 31
Behringer won Olympic gold with Germany at Rio 2016, finishing as the tournament's leading goalscorer with five goals and completing her set of every piece of major international silverware.
She ended her 11-year Germany career with that victory, having already won the 2007 World Cup and the 2009 and 2013 European Championship. She helped her German club Bayern Munich secure back-to-back Bundesliga titles in 2016 and was nominated for the Fifa World Player of the Year award 2016.
2. Ada Hegerberg
Meet the Norway and Olympique Lyonnais' player who is one of five nominees.
Country: Norway Caps: 61 Goals: 38
Club : Olympique Lyonnais
Position: Forward
Age : 21
Hegerberg was part of the Olympique Lyonnais treble-winning side in 2015-16, claiming the French Division 1 league title, Coupe de France and Champions League. She was top scorer in the French league (33) and Women's Champions League (13) that season. She scored more goals (18) than Real Madrid and Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo (17) in Uefa competitions in the calendar year of 2016.
Voted Uefa Best Women's Player in Europe for 2016, she also became the first woman in 20 years to win Norway's Golden Ball award for the country's best footballer.
3. Hedvig Lindahl
Meet the Sweden and Chelsea's Hedvig Lindahl player who is one of five nominees.
Country: Sweden
Caps : 136
Goals : 0
Club : Chelsea
Position: Goalkeeper
Age : 34
Lindahl was the hero in two penalty shootouts for Sweden at the Rio 2016 Olympics, helping her team win the silver medal. She joined Chelsea Ladies from Swedish side Kristianstads DFF in December 2014 and shone in her first season there, winning the Women's Super League title and the FA Women's Cup. An ever-present in the WSL in 2015, she conceded the fewest goals in the division (10).
Lindahl has been named Swedish Women's Goalkeeper of the Year on five separate occasions and played for her country at three World Cups, three Olympic Games and several European Championships.
4. Marta
Meet the Brazil and Orlando Pride player Marta who is one of five nominees.
Country: Brazil
Caps : 116
Goals : 108
Club : Orlando Pride
Position: Forward
Age : 31
Marta is arguably the most famous female footballer of the last 20 years, having won Fifa's World Player of the Year award five times in a row between 2006 and 2010.
For the Brazil forward, 2016 will stand out as the year she led out her country at her home Olympics in Rio. One of eight Olympic flag-bearers at the opening ceremony, she also helped her side finish fourth in the tournament.
Marta, who champions women's football across the globe through her ambassadorial work, left Swedish side FC Rosengard in April to join the recently created Orlando Pride in the United States.
5. Christine Sinclair
Meet the Canada and Portland Thorns' Christine Sinclair player Marta who is one of five no
Country: Canada
Caps : 257
Goals : 167
Club : Portland Thorns
Position: Forward
Age : 33
Sinclair inspired Canada to a second successive Olympic bronze medal, scoring the second goal against hosts Brazil in the bronze medal match at Rio 2016.
Under her captaincy, Canada reached their highest ever Fifa ranking of fourth, while her National Women's Soccer League club side Portland Thorns topped the table after the regular season in the United States, to claim the NWSL Shield.
She is second on the all-time list of women's international goalscorers with 167 international goals, surpassing her hero and former USA forward Mia Hamm's tally of 158 last year and creeping closer to ex-USA international Abby Wambach's record of 184.
Here we look at the five contenders:
1. Melanie Behringer
Meet the German and Bayern Munich player who is one of five nominees.
Country: Germany
Caps : 123
Goals : 34
Club : Bayern Munich
Position: Midfielder
Age : 31
Behringer won Olympic gold with Germany at Rio 2016, finishing as the tournament's leading goalscorer with five goals and completing her set of every piece of major international silverware.
She ended her 11-year Germany career with that victory, having already won the 2007 World Cup and the 2009 and 2013 European Championship. She helped her German club Bayern Munich secure back-to-back Bundesliga titles in 2016 and was nominated for the Fifa World Player of the Year award 2016.
2. Ada Hegerberg
Meet the Norway and Olympique Lyonnais' player who is one of five nominees.
Country: Norway Caps: 61 Goals: 38
Club : Olympique Lyonnais
Position: Forward
Age : 21
Hegerberg was part of the Olympique Lyonnais treble-winning side in 2015-16, claiming the French Division 1 league title, Coupe de France and Champions League. She was top scorer in the French league (33) and Women's Champions League (13) that season. She scored more goals (18) than Real Madrid and Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo (17) in Uefa competitions in the calendar year of 2016.
Voted Uefa Best Women's Player in Europe for 2016, she also became the first woman in 20 years to win Norway's Golden Ball award for the country's best footballer.
3. Hedvig Lindahl
Meet the Sweden and Chelsea's Hedvig Lindahl player who is one of five nominees.
Country: Sweden
Caps : 136
Goals : 0
Club : Chelsea
Position: Goalkeeper
Age : 34
Lindahl was the hero in two penalty shootouts for Sweden at the Rio 2016 Olympics, helping her team win the silver medal. She joined Chelsea Ladies from Swedish side Kristianstads DFF in December 2014 and shone in her first season there, winning the Women's Super League title and the FA Women's Cup. An ever-present in the WSL in 2015, she conceded the fewest goals in the division (10).
Lindahl has been named Swedish Women's Goalkeeper of the Year on five separate occasions and played for her country at three World Cups, three Olympic Games and several European Championships.
4. Marta
Meet the Brazil and Orlando Pride player Marta who is one of five nominees.
Country: Brazil
Caps : 116
Goals : 108
Club : Orlando Pride
Position: Forward
Age : 31
Marta is arguably the most famous female footballer of the last 20 years, having won Fifa's World Player of the Year award five times in a row between 2006 and 2010.
For the Brazil forward, 2016 will stand out as the year she led out her country at her home Olympics in Rio. One of eight Olympic flag-bearers at the opening ceremony, she also helped her side finish fourth in the tournament.
Marta, who champions women's football across the globe through her ambassadorial work, left Swedish side FC Rosengard in April to join the recently created Orlando Pride in the United States.
5. Christine Sinclair
Meet the Canada and Portland Thorns' Christine Sinclair player Marta who is one of five no
Country: Canada
Caps : 257
Goals : 167
Club : Portland Thorns
Position: Forward
Age : 33
Sinclair inspired Canada to a second successive Olympic bronze medal, scoring the second goal against hosts Brazil in the bronze medal match at Rio 2016.
Under her captaincy, Canada reached their highest ever Fifa ranking of fourth, while her National Women's Soccer League club side Portland Thorns topped the table after the regular season in the United States, to claim the NWSL Shield.
She is second on the all-time list of women's international goalscorers with 167 international goals, surpassing her hero and former USA forward Mia Hamm's tally of 158 last year and creeping closer to ex-USA international Abby Wambach's record of 184.
(rnz)
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