Five members of the United States women’s national team have been named to the 2024 Women’s Ballon d’Or shortlist after the side’s magnificent run to Olympic gold.
The “Triple Espresso” front line of Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith, and Mallory Swanson were all included in the 30-player shortlist for the France Football award for best player in the world for 2024, as were Lindsey Horan and Alyssa Naeher.
[ RELATED: Chelsea’s Bright, Bronze ready for WSL defense, UWCL chase]
Smith was the only USWNT player to make the 2023 shortlist, and a USWNT player has neither won the award nor placed in the top three since Megan Rapinoe’s win in 2019 (Alex Morgan finished third that year).
It’s tricky to pick a best USWNT player on the list due to the shared brilliance of the forward unit, the shot-stopping heroics of Naeher, and Horan, who may be the favorite due to her UEFA Women’s Champions League Team of the Season performance in Lyon’s run to the final versus champions Barcelona (who have six players on the list.
Six of the 30 players are currently with National Women’s Soccer League clubs including Zambian star Barbra Banda, who could become the first African player to win it or finish in the top three.
Chelsea’s Lucy Bronze is one of eight Women’s Super League players to make the list after winning back-to-back UWCL crowns before making the switch to Barca, while Jamaica and Manchester City’s Khadija Shaw gives CONCACAF a sixth chance at this year’s honor.
It’s a loaded list that includes Olympic star Marie-Antoinette Katoto (France/PSG), 2023 winner Aitana Bonmati (Spain/Barcelona), and Olympic silver medalist Gabi Portilho of Brazil, who leads Campeonato Brasileiro Feminino A-1 leaders Corinthians.
Who will win the Women’s Ballon d’Or?
Barcelona’s back-to-back UWCL wins make them a heavy favorite, but like the USWNT there’s a chance that their abundance of stars on the shortlist spread the votes too thin.
Bonmati was phenomenal this season and would be a fitting back-to-back winner, but Mariona Caldentey had bigger numbers and Salma Paralluelo scored the most goals. All three as well as Patricia Guijarro and Alexia Putellas won the Nations League as well as the UWCL.
[ MORE: USWNT’s Fox, Chelsea’s Bright ‘not surprise’ by Emma Hayes success ]
Among the gold medalists, Smith had four goals and two assists in the Olympics and iis third in the NWSL in goals and second in assists. Horan was joined by Lyon teammate Ada Hegerberg on the French league’s Player of the Year shortlist.
Then there are the statistical monsters. The eye-popping seasons for club and country of Katoto, Banda, and Tabitha Chawinga must be noticed, while Lauren James and Lea Schuller were gamechangers.
Does Smith have enough to leap above the Barca roadblock?
2024 Women’s Ballon d’Or (Ballon d’Or Feminin) 30-player shortlist
Aitana Bonmati (Spain and Barcelona)
Barbra Banda (Zambia and Orlando Pride)
Tarciane (Brazil and Houston Dash)
Lauren Hemp (England and Manchester City)
Trinity Rodman (United States and Washington Spirit)
Ada Hegerberg (Norway and Lyon)
Manuela Giugliano (Italy and Roma)
Mallory Swanson (United States and Chicago Red Stars)
Glodis Viggosdottir (Iceland and Bayern Munich)
Mariona Caldentey (Spain and Arsenal)
Lauren James (England and Chelsea)
Lea Schuller (Germany and Bayern Munich)
Patricia Guijarro (Spain and Barcelona)
Gabi Portilho (Brazil and Corinthians)
Tabitha Chawinga (Malawi and Lyon)
Caroline Graham Hansen (Norway and Barcelona)
Lindsey Horan (United States and Lyon)
Sjoeke Nusken (Germany and Chelsea)
Yui Hasegawa (Japan and Manchester City)
Lucy Bronze (England and Chelsea)
Salma Paralluelo (Spain and Barcelona)
Giulia Gwinn (Germany and Bayern Munich)
Khadija Shaw (Jamaica and Manchester City)
Grace Geyoro (France and Paris St-Germain)
Alexia Putellas (Spain and Barcelona)
Sophia Smith (United States and Portland Thorns)
Ewa Pajor (Poland and Barcelona)
Alyssa Naeher (United States and Chicago Red Stars)
Mayra Ramirez (Colombia and Chelsea)
Marie-Antoinette Katoto (France and Paris St-Germain)