Alex Morgan and reigning title holder Abby Wambach are both on the shortlist for FIFA Women's World Player of the Year. (Copyright Patricia Giobetti | http://www.printroom.com/pro/psgiobetti)
FIFA revealed its shortlists for the Women’s World Player of the Year and World Coach of the Year for women’s soccer in 2013.
Six countries are represented on the 10-player list, including American Alex Morgan and current title holder Abby Wambach, who set the international goal scoring record earlier this year. Noticeably absent is National Women’s Soccer League MVP Lauren Holiday. US international Christen Press, who was the first American to lead the Swedish Damallsvenskan in scoring, has an argument as well.
With Euro 2013 being the major tournament of the year, though, Europeans should be looked at as the favorites for the award largely decided by major tournament play and not league play (and unfortunate reality for the women’s game and a reason why Holiday isn’t on the list). Look for UEFA Player of the Year and Germany goalkeeper Nadine Angerer, teammate Lena Goessling and Sweden’s Lotta Schelin to be front-runners, but the voting in this thing is always a wacky game of name recognition.
Here’s the full list of nominees:
Nadine Angerer (Germany), Nilla Fischer (Sweden), Lena Goessling (Germany), Saki Kumagai (Japan), Marta (Brazil), Alex Morgan (USA), Yuki Ogimi (Japan), Lotta Schelin (Sweden), Christine Sinclair (Canada), Abby Wambach (USA)
The finalists for the coaching award were also announced, including Portland Thorns FC coach Cindy Parlow Cone. It’s a revelation, as Parlow Cone’s Thorns team struggled and underperformed mightily in the NWSL throughout the season, but heated up in the final weeks to win the inaugural league title.
Here’s the list of coaching nominees:
Gilles Eyquem (France/France U-19 National Team), Kenneth Heiner-Møller (Denmark/Denmark National Team), Ralf Kellermann (Germany/VfL Wolfsburg), Shelley Kerr (Scotland/Arsenal Ladies FC), Patrice Lair (France/Olympique Lyonnais), Silvia Neid (Germany/ Germany National Team), Cindy Parlow Cone (USA/Portland Thorns FC), Even Pellerud (Norway/Norway National Team), Anna Signeul (Sweden/Scotland National Team), Pia Sundhage (Sweden/Sweden National Team)
