Overview
The Ballon d'Or was first awarded in 2018, with Ada Hegerberg [1] of Norway becoming the inaugural recipient of the award. [2]
Australian striker Sam Kerr and French defender Wendie Renard were the only players to have been nominated for the award every year since its inception until 2023. Sam Kerr was the only player to place in the top 20 nominations every year, and was consistently in the top 7, until her ACL injury in January 2024. [3]
In 2022, Barcelona captain Alexia Putellas became the first to win the award twice and in consecutive years. [4] [5] [6] Aitana Bonmatí matched her teammate's achievement by winning the Ballon d'Or in 2023 and 2024, and in 2025 she became the first player to win it 3 times, and 3 times in a row.
Mary Earps won the highest ever rank for a goalkeeper at fifth place in 2023. [7]
Controversy
The ceremony for the 2023 Ballon d'Or was held during women's international break, meaning women nominated for the Ballon d'Or were unable to attend. [10] 2023 nominee Georgia Stanway expressed frustration she could not be present at this "potentially once-in-a-lifetime opportunity", [11] having an Olympic qualifier match in another country less than 24 hours from the ceremony. Only seven out of thirty women were able to be at the ceremony. These attendees had games the next day and missed training, but came to accept the award for best club team of 2023, given to Barcelona. [12] Stanway called for better scheduling with women in mind so more female footballers could attend. England manager Sarina Wiegman expressed disappointment that the players' hard work would not be properly rewarded due to this scheduling conflict with international duty. [13]
In 2024 the problem remained unfixed, with Wiegman, who was unable to attend the ceremony despite being nominated for Coach of the Year, [14] saying, "Of course, that's really disappointing, because that's a moment to celebrate women's soccer and to come together as a whole community in the women's soccer game, and the whole soccer world." [15] [16] Nominee Lucy Bronze, unable to attend, expressed that the Ballon d’Or organizers treat women as a "second thought." [17] Coach of the Year winner Emma Hayes missed receiving her award while preparing the United States for a match. None of the five American Ballon d'Or nominees attended. Six of thirty nominees were able to be at the ceremony. [17]
The Ballon d'Or is the only award for women during this event, with no women's equivalent of the Kopa Trophy, Yashin Trophy, and Gerd Müller Trophy that are given to men. [18] 2022 second place Ballon d'Or nominee Beth Mead said, "[The Ballon d’Or] is such a prestigious award. But then it was a tick box to have women there but they weren't doing it right." [19]
France Football and UEFA promote men's strikers, goalkeepers, and youth by offering awards and bringing recognition to these men, but fail to do the same for women. The Guardian writer Tom Garry named Salma Paralluelo, Linda Caicedo, Alyssa Thompson, and Mary Earps as players deserving of these trophies. [20]
Resolution
For the first time, in 2025, the Ballon d'Or ceremony will be held outside of women's international break, allowing women to attend. [21] Women were finally recognized for the Yashin Trophy, given to the best goalkeeper, as Ann-Katrin Berger, Hannah Hampton, Cata Coll, Chiamaka Nnadozie, and Daphne van Domselaar were the first nominees. [22] It is also the first year women will be able to receive the Kopa Trophy, given to the best young player, with Michelle Agyemang, Vicky López, Linda Caicedo, Claudia Martínez Ovando, and Wieke Kaptein being the inaugural five nominated. [23]
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Aitana Bonmatí 
Sam Kerr 
Lucy Bronze 
