Eight FC Barcelona players got nominated for the Women’s Ballon d’Or, and honestly, are we even surprised? With the most prestigious individual award in football on the horizon, the nominees list dropped, and it is crystal clear who the big dogs are in the game right now. Barcelona has been on an absolute tear, hitting a record five consecutive wins, and they are bringing that same heat to the individual awards.
European Powerhouses Own the Nomination List
Talk about dominance. Out of the 30 nominees, a whopping 19 of them come from just four European clubs: Barcelona, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, and OL Lyonnes. Each of these clubs snagged their respective league titles and premier cup competitions. Barcelona leads the pack with eight nominees, flexing hard after securing their third continental treble by winning the Champions League. They beat Lyonnes in that final, by the way. Manchester City put up a strong showing with five nominees, while Bayern and Lyonnes each contributed three. Barcelona and Bayern also won their Super Cups, with Lyonnes grabbing the Coupe LFFP. These teams are just on another level, period.
NWSL Making Waves Across the Atlantic
It is not all about Europe, though. Across the Atlantic, our National Women’s Soccer League is making some serious noise. Gotham FC, who somehow turned an eighth-place league finish into a stellar playoff run to become the 2025 NWSL champion, is currently sitting at the top of the NWSL table. Kansas City Current, who earned the NWSL Shield for topping the league table, also showed out. The NWSL brought in five nominees, with Gotham’s Rose Lavelle and Kansas City’s Temwa Chawinga and Lorena leading the charge. You gotta love to see our homegrown talent getting global recognition.
Honestly, after seeing those numbers, it is hard to argue against Alexia Putellas being the overwhelming favorite. The woman bagged 20 goals and 13 assists in all competitions during Barcelona’s treble season, and was named the Champions League’s best player! She has already won this award twice in a row, and her teammate Aitana Bonmatí three-peated since 2023. Barcelona’s Ewa Pajor, who finished as their top goalscorer in both the season and the Champions League, also deserves massive recognition. Can anyone else even come close to this Barcelona squad? We will have to wait and see, but their reign is not slowing down anytime soon.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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