The 2015 FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year will be crowned on Monday in Zurich, Switzerland. United States midfielder Carli Lloyd, Japan midfielder Aya Miyama and Germany midfielder Celia Sasic are finalists for the award.
The winner will be announced as part of the Ballon d’Or Gala. Portugal/Real Madrid midfielder Cristiano Ronaldo, Argentina/Barcelona midfielder Lionel Messi and Brazil/Barcelona forward Neymar are finalists for the men’s award, the Ballon d’Or.
[MORE: Lloyd, Sauerbrunn named new captains of U.S. national team]
Lloyd is considered the favorite after winning the Golden Ball at the 2015 Women’s World Cup, becoming the first woman to score a hat trick in the final en route to the United States’ 5-2 triumph over Japan. Miyama, who was on the other side of that result, is the reigning AFC Women’s Footballer of the Year. Sasic, meanwhile, won the Golden Boot at the 2015 World Cup with six goals (the same number as Lloyd, but in fewer minutes) before retiring in July.
U.S. coach Jill Ellis, England coach Mark Sampson and Japan coach Norio Sasaki are finalists for the 2015 Women’s World Coach of the Year award.
Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola, Barcelona coach Luis Enrique and Chile coach Jorge Sampaoli are finalists for the men’s coaching award.
The winners will be announced at the FIFA Ballon d’Or Gala on Monday, which will be livestreamed on YouTube.
#CarliLloyd has arrived in Zurich for the #BallondOr. First up, a quick visit to the yet-to-be opened #FIFAmuseum. pic.twitter.com/yevxZpGjKv
— U.S. Soccer WNT (@ussoccer_wnt) January 10, 2016
#AyaMiyama & #CeliaSasic are here! We'll be getting shots of all the nominees throughout the day! #BallondOr pic.twitter.com/Nx5ot5aS7N
— #FIFAWWC (@FIFAWWC) January 10, 2016
