Silvia Neid claimed the 2010 FIFA Women’s Coach of the Year and Marta won her fifth-straight FIFA World Player of the Year Award on Monday. Both were honored at the FIFA Ballon d’Or Gala in Zurich.
As head coach of the Germany Women’s National Team, Neid coached Germany to a second-place finish at the Algarve Cup, losing 3-2 to the United States in the final. It was the only meaningful competition of Germany’s 2010 campaign, which consisted primarily of friendlies. Germany automatically qualified for the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup as the host nation and did not participate in the extensive UEFA qualifying tournament.
Meanwhile, an emotional and teary-eyed Marta accepted her fifth-straight award as the world’s best female player after winning the 2010 WPS Championship in September. Marta scored 19 goals and added five assists en route to her second-straight league MVP award. At the conclusion of the WPS season, Marta joined Brazil to lead the squad to a South American qualifying championship and a trip to the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
