England stars Alessia Russo and Alex Greenwood just hit the 30-player shortlist for the women’s Ballon d’Or, and yeah, they’re the only Lionesses to make the cut. This is a massive honor for both players, spotlighting their incredible individual seasons amidst a stacked field of global talent.
Russo and Greenwood Show Up Big Time
Seriously, Alessia Russo has been absolutely tearing it up. The Arsenal forward smashed in 24 goals across 40 club appearances, and anyone watching knows that kind of production is elite. Remember her finishing third in last year’s voting? She’s clearly not slowing down, and this nomination is a testament to her consistent, high-level play. Then there’s Man City captain Alex Greenwood, who not only leads her team but lifted both the Women’s Super League and the FA Cup last season. That’s a captain’s performance, pure and simple, bringing home silverware. Her inclusion on this list is a no-brainer for anyone who saw her in action.
The Race Is Wide Open This Year
This year’s race is looking wild, especially with a huge name missing. Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati, who’s won the award for the past three years, is out of the running after missing a big chunk of the season with a broken leg. That changes the dynamic completely and opens the door for a new champion to emerge. We also saw Scotland’s Caroline Weir make the list, and you know why, right? She racked up 20 goals in all competitions for Real Madrid before making her move to Lyon in June. It’s a truly global list of contenders, with players from across Europe and beyond battling for the top spot.
The whole thing is going down on October 26th at a ceremony in London. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the award, which France Football created back in 1956. The London venue is even a symbolic nod to Sir Stanley Matthews, who won the very first Ballon d’Or. Who’s gonna lift it this time around? We’re all gonna be glued to see!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by BBC Sport.
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