Women's Ballon d'Or: Lucy Bronze and Ellen White shortlisted for award

22nd Oct 2019 | Source: BBC

England's Lucy Bronze and Ellen White have made the shortlist for the 2019 Women's Ballon d'Or.

Manchester City forward White and Lyon defender Bronze played key parts in the Lionesses reaching the World Cup semi-finals in July.

A number of players chosen starred at this year's Women's World Cup.

United States co-captains Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe who both scored six goals during the tournament, make the list.

Brazil legend Marta, Dutch goalkeeper Sari van Veenendaal and France defender Wendie Renard have also been shortlisted.

Lyon and Norway striker Ada Hegerberg, who was the inaugural Women's Ballon d'Or winner in 2018 but chose not to attend the World Cup this summer, is also among the nominees.

Last year's ceremony was widely criticised on social media after co-host Martin Solveig, a French DJ, asked Hegerberg during the presentation: "Do you know how to twerk?"

Solveig later apologised, and Hegerberg played down suggestions it had marred her win.

Bronze was named in the women's team of the year at the Best Fifa Football Awards in Milan last month and was the only English player to make the line-up.

The 27-year-old right-back lost out on the individual women's player award to two-time World Cup winner Rapinoe.

Rapinoe, 34, won both the Golden Boot for top scorer and Golden Ball for best player of the tournament in France after helping the United States win the competition.

Bronze's England team-mate White made the switch to Manchester City from Birmingham City in May having been the WSL's top scorer in 2017-18.

The Women's Ballon d'Or winner will be named in Paris on 2 December.

List of nominees revealed

Lucy Bronze (Lyon)

Ellen White (Manchester City)

Sam Kerr (Chicago Red Stars)

Nilla Fischer (VfL Wolfsburg)

Amandine Henry (Lyon)

Alex Morgan (Orlando Pride)

Vivianne Miedema (Arsenal)

Dzenifer Marozsan (Lyon)

Pernille Harder (VfL Wolfsburg)