Women's Ballon d'Or awards

Discussion in 'Women's International' started by IceBlood34, Jan 28, 2023.

  1. IceBlood34

    IceBlood34 Member

    Montpellier HSC
    France
    Jan 27, 2021
    Hello everyone,

    In the same spirit as the other topic that represents the men's Ballon d'Or revisited by BigSoccer users (https://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/ballon-dor-awards-revisited-by-bigsoccer-users.2119696/), here I wanted to focus on women's soccer and the potential Ballon d'Or winners before its creation.
    Of course, women's soccer has taken a long time to become professional, but we have to take into account that women were already playing soccer at the same time as men, at the end of the 19th century.
    So, I made a first quick research about the potential winners, but I'm terribly lacking of sources and opinions, because it's so much harder to find a consensus than with men.
    If someone wants to collaborate, you are welcome.

    In order to estimate the Best Women Player of the Year, I tried to find some Best Women Players of big tournaments, who could be regarded as "maybe" the Best Player of the Year before 2001.

    1984: Pia Sundhage
    1985: Beck Sharon McMurtry
    1986: April Heinrichs
    1987: Heidi Støre / Carin Jennings
    1988: Michelle Akers
    1989: Doris Fitschen
    1990: April Kater
    1991: Carin Jennings (2?)
    1992: Mia Hamm / Carin Jennings (3?)
    1993: Hege Riise
    1994: Tisha Venturini
    1995: Hege Riise (2)
    1996: Shannon MacMillan
    1997: Carolina Morace
    1998: Cindy Parlow
    1999: Sun Wen
    2000: Hege Riise (3)

    And of course, here are the titles of the best players of the year, first with the FIFA award, then the Ballon d'Or (in competition with the FIFA the Best award)

    2001: Hamm (2?), Wen, Milbrett,
    2002: Hamm (3?), Prinz, Wen
    2003: Prinz, Hamm, Ljungberg
    2004: Prinz (2), Hamm, Marta
    2005: Prinz (3), Marta, Boxx
    2006: Marta, Lilly, Lingor
    2007: Marta (2), Prinz, Cristiane
    2008: Marta (3), Prinz, Cristiane
    2009: Marta (4), Prinz, Smith
    2010: Marta (5), Prinz, Bajramaj
    2011: Sawa, Marta, Wambach
    2012: Wambach, Marta, Morgan
    2013: Angerer, Wambach, Marta
    2014: Kessler, Marta, Wambach
    2015: Lloyd, Sasic, Miyama
    2016: Lloyd (2), Marta, Behringer
    2017: Martens, Lloyd, Castellanois
    2018: Hegerberg, Harder, Marozsan (Ballon d'Or) / Marta (6), Marozsan, Hegerberg (FIFA the Best)
    2019: Rapinoe, Bronze, Morgan / Rapinoe, Morgan, Bronze
    2020: Bronze, Harder, Renard (FIFA the Best only)
    2021: Putellas, Hermoso, Kerr / Putellas, Kerr, Hermoso

    At this point, at the number of successes per player we have:
    - Marta (5 or 6)
    - Prinz (3)
    - Hamm (3?)
    - Carin Jennings (3?)
    - Hege Riise (3?)
    - Lloyd (2)

    It's extremely difficult to say, and I based my opinion on the titles of best player in the major competitions in those years OR the best player in the US championship, because at that time that's where the best players were.
    So, players like Carin Jennings or Mia Hamm, come back often, but it is difficult without more knowledge, to know many "Women Ballon d'Or" they should have won.

    Do not hesitate to tell me your opinion ;)
    Cheers!
     
    Bauser, JanBalk and blissett repped this.
  2. Bauser

    Bauser Member+

    Dec 23, 2000
    Norway
    Club:
    Fredrikstad FK
    Cool thread!

    For 1988, I'm going to challenge your selection of Michelle Akers.

    FIFA organized an unofficial World Cup in China in 1988 where Norway won. Linda Medalen scored four goals and was match-winner in the final against Sweden. Her club Asker won the Norwegian Toppserien that year and Medalen was top scorer with 22 goals (in 18 matches).

    Linda Medalen certainly rivalled Hege Riise in Norway as far as star quality goes in those early years up to the mid-1990s. She later moved back to defence towards the end of her career.
     
    IceBlood34 and blissett repped this.

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