Sam Kerr has again come third in the Ballon D’Or, which was won for the second year in succession by Barcelona’s Alexia Putellas.
The Chelsea and Australia striker also came third last year.
Putellas was injured on the eve of the Euros and has not played since June but her club form was enough to secure her first place ahead of England’s Beth Mead, who topped the Euros scoring charts.
The Spaniard scored 42 goals and delivered 22 assists last season as Barcelona won the Spanish League and reached the final of the Champions League final, in which they lost to Lyon.
The highest placed Lyon player was Ada Hegerberg, in seventh.
“I am very happy to be back here. Winning last year’s prize pushed me to get even better,” Putellas said on collecting the trophy at a gala ceremony in Paris.
“Injuring my knee in July, I did not think it would be possible (to win this award).”
Awarded by France Football magazine, the Ballon d’Or is voted on by a panel of journalists fomr arond the world.
It has been given to men every year since 1956 when Stanley Matthews won. The women’s trophy was created in 2018, and both were cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic.
Kerr was the only Australian in the top 20.
Mitcher
Guest
Do adults still use ‘not’ as such? Surely not.
Sheffield WesDay
Roar Rookie
Perhaps if the Matilda's do well the next years WC, we might see our first ever Aussie Ballon winner??
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
massive Punter. I was in England at the time, really enjoyed it all.
Punter
Roar Rookie
Even though I had no team to follow, I really enjoyed the women's Euros, quality football.
Saffi
Roar Rookie
Tremendous effort by Sam to be considered third best in the world. I honestly think that top spot will elude Sam until she leads a Champions league winner or (hopefully) World Cup finalist.
Grem
Roar Rookie
Perhaps there’s one on the horizon. Too early to call, but that young bloke from CCM who just signed for Newcastle - maybe.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
I don't think she scored in the CL, did she? And the Euros this year were massive, some impressive performances.
chris
Guest
Putellas winning. What a surprise. Not. This award is so Euro biased it's becoming a bit of a farce. How can someone playing in an ordinary league with hardly an international game played due to her injury win the award? Just give it to her for next year as well and be done with it.
Punter
Roar Rookie
We could all dream LH.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
well done Sam Kerr. If we could only have a male player in the same space.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Its beyond a joke, Spanish womens league is so uneven, it increased to 16 teams as well, Barcelona scored 159 goals to 11 in their season across 30 matches. Chelsea scored 62 goals to 11 in 20 matches in a 12 team league. It makes the SPL look even. Kerr scored more goals in less matches in a harder league. I dont think Putellas is the best Spanish player either, I think Esther Gonzalez is better.
Hudddo
Roar Rookie
She's a paradox, can score screamers from 40 yard all day, in the same vein that she misses sitters all day. She sorts that out, it'll be hard taking it off her.
Grem
Roar Rookie
Congratulations to Sam Kerr for another incredible result. Sam is a world class player and finished number 3 in the world - wow! It would be hard to argue against Putellas, as her statistics in terms of goals and assists, were great. Hopefully next year Sam will be number 1.
Punter
Roar Rookie
I don't think being snubbed is the correct word, no 3 in the world is very very impressive, especially in the Euros year & a year that she did not make the champions league final.