Ballon d'Or Feminin power rankings as Earps battles Bonmati and England trio
The world's best and brightest from women's football are descending on Paris as the next Ballon d'Or Feminin winner is set to be crowned.
The Golden Ball has been the property of Spain and Barcelona striker Alexia Putellas for the last two years, though a long-term injury which ruled the 29-year-old out for the majority of last season means that a new winner is set to be announced.
Predictions have largely zeroed in on Spain and Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmati, whose list of accolades collected over the last year includes the Women's World Cup Golden Ball and the UEFA Women's Champions League Player of the Tournament award.
Nevertheless, the final shortlist, which includes four Lionesses in Millie Bright, Rachel Daly, Mary Earps and Georgia Stanway, is teeming with talent capable of claiming the coveted title. Below Mirror Football has ranked the top 10 nominations in contention for this year's Ballon d'Or Feminin award ahead of Monday's star-studded ceremony.
10. Olga Carmona
If dramatic winners get your pulse racing, look no further than Carmona. The 23-year-old left-back carved a niche for herself during the summer as she supplied the late winner to see off Sweden before slotting beyond Mary Earps in England’s goal to seize a first-ever World Cup title for La Roja.
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Carmona was also a valuable player for Real Madrid, who couldn’t quite usurp their Spanish rivals Barcelona on the domestic stage.
Spain's Olga Carmona (C) scored the winner in the World Cup final (PA)9. Rachel Daly
One of the most in-form strikers last season, the Villa goalscorer was duly recognised for her unassailable appetite in front of goal with the Women’s Super League Golden Boot award, as well as a place in England’s World Cup squad.
The hype around Daly was earnest, though the 30-year-old showed what truly makes her such a valuable player as she slotted into a wing-back role to accommodate for Sarina Wiegman's squad depth and still managed to wreak substantial havoc.
8. Patri Guijarro
Barcelona’s midfield wouldn’t be as scintillating in its devastation of opponents if not for Patri, and nowhere did the deep-lying midfielder earn her share of plaudits than in the Champions League final as she supplied the first two goals in her side’s comeback victory over Wolfsburg.
The 25-year-old supplied eight goals and 13 assists across the 2022-23 season, but her refusal to play in the World Cup amid the contentious reign of former national team boss Jorge Vilda will unfortunately hinder her chances of finishing higher.
7. Fridolina Rolfo
Points for occasion are tantamount in this award, and as Rolfo roared in celebration at clinching the Champions League trophy for Barcelona over her former club Wolfsburg with her game-winner, her name was inevitably etched into folklore.
The forward helped the Spanish giants to their treble triumph, while helping Sweden to another third-place finish at the Women’s World Cup with three goals scored.
Fridolina Rolfo gave Barcelona the lead against Wolfsburg ((Photo by Catherine Ivill - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images))6. Kadidiatou Diani
The No.9 position for France and Paris Saint-Germain is arguably synonymous with Marie Antoinette Katoto. But with the berth in need of a replacement following Katoto’s injury, Diani was called in from her usual place out wide.
The result was outstanding: 31 goals and 10 assists across all competitions. PSG ultimately disappointed in Europe, but Diani’s exploits on the international stage (four goals, three assists, the tournament’s Silver Boot) only bolsters her case for recognition.
5. Sam Kerr
There is little in the way to deny that Sam Kerr wasn't at her merciless best last season, with her iconic backflip arriving at a premium compared to previous campaigns. But the Aussie still managed to supply when required, including a crucial last-ditch equaliser against Arsenal in the league and the only goal in the Women's FA Cup final.
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As if to emphasise the need not to overlook her season, the 30-year-old scored twice on the final day of the season to ensure a fourth league title on the bounce for Emma Hayes' side. The largely Kerr-less World Cup due to a calf injury will likely rule her out of finishing in the top three of this year's final standings, though her goal against England in the semi-final loss will go down in history as typical Kerr filth and a tournament great.
Sam Kerr of Australia celebrates her goal against England during the World Cup (Photo by Ulrik Pedersen/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)4. Guro Reiten
The reigning WSL champions largely owe their domestic double last season to the inspired form of Reiten. Her 23 assists and 15 goals across all competitions were effectively unrivalled, as was her aptitude in providing Chelsea an edge that threatened to elude them in their bid for an historic four-peat.
Norway underwhelmed at the World Cup, and while Reiten played a part in three of their seven goals, the Round of 16 exit could hurt her chances of finishing higher.
3. Mary Earps
The world No.1 is on a one-woman mission to 'Make Goalkeeping Cool Again' and while the Ballon d’Or Feminin has historically been dominated by those who ply their trade at the opposite end of the pitch, England’s No.1 has made it near impossible not to consider her in the conversation.
After helping Manchester United keep pace with Chelsea in the WSL, her heroics Down Under propelled England to a first-ever World Cup final. Routinely the shot-stopper has displayed why world-record bids have poured in for her signature and why any Golden Glove award inevitably falls into her orbit.
Mary Earps with the Golden Glove Award for the 2023 Women's World Cup2. Alex Popp
The German striker has become an inevitability over the years but that she’s still supplying vintage performances at a time when her career should, theoretically, be winding down is testament to her staying power. Popp claimed the Fraun Bundesliga’s Golden Boot and scored in both the DFB-Pokal and Champions League finals.
The lasting image of her time at the 2023 Women’s World Cup will undoubtedly be her softly seething selfie with the Player of the Match award following Germany’s crashing out of the group stages, but she still scored a ridiculous four goals in three matches for the two-time world champions.
1. Aitana Bonmati
Is there any more deserving player of football’s greatest prize? That’s effectively a rhetorical question. Bonmati is the best women’s player on the planet at the moment. The midfielder has guzzled every piece of silverware there is this season, including the Women’s World Cup Golden Ball and UEFA’s Player of the Year.
Aitana Bonmati of Spain celebrates with her winner's medal and Golden Ball award after the World Cup victory (Marc Atkins/Getty Images)The Women’s Champions League was reduced to her personal sandbox with no player involved in as many goals as she helped Barcelona complete a treble. For those who tuned in Down Under, it was more of the same: football in the image of Bonmati. Spain’s historic World Cup success can be directly traced to her inimitable manipulation of space and time.
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