Beth Mead: Full list of Women's Ballon d'Or nominees as England forward one of three Lionesses included

The nominees for football’s prestigious Ballon d’Or awards have been announced, with the Lionesses hero a top contender to lift the award – alongside another two England stars.
Beth Mead of England is awarded with the Top Goalscorer and Player of the Tournament awards after the final whistle of the UEFA Women's Euro 2022 final. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)Beth Mead of England is awarded with the Top Goalscorer and Player of the Tournament awards after the final whistle of the UEFA Women's Euro 2022 final. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
Beth Mead of England is awarded with the Top Goalscorer and Player of the Tournament awards after the final whistle of the UEFA Women's Euro 2022 final. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)

England Lionesses’ Euro 2022 hero Beth Mead has been included in the shortlist for the prestigious Ballon d'Or Féminin following her outstanding season for both club and country.

The 27-year-old forward won the Golden Boot, and was named as player of the tournament, at last month’s game changing Women’s European Championship, scoring six goals during the tournament to help the Lionesses lift their very first major trophy.

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Also a favourite for this year’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year award, Mead has been in devastating form for England since the appointment of Dutch boss Sarina Wiegman.

Alexia Putellas is awarded with the Ballon D'Or Trophy in 2021. (Photo by Aurelien Meunier/Getty Images)Alexia Putellas is awarded with the Ballon D'Or Trophy in 2021. (Photo by Aurelien Meunier/Getty Images)
Alexia Putellas is awarded with the Ballon D'Or Trophy in 2021. (Photo by Aurelien Meunier/Getty Images)

Prior to the Euros, she had scored 12 goals and assisted a further 10 in just eight games during World Cup qualifying, with the Gunners striker taking her outstanding form into this summer’s tournament

The former Sunderland attacker has been in the form of her life for her club too.

She picked up Arsenal’s player of the year award in May after an astonishing season saw Mead involved in 19 goals contribution over just 22 games.

Fellow England stars Millie Bright and Lucy Bronze were also included in their 20 player shortlist.

When is the Ballon d’Or awards ceremony?

Following the confirmed nominations today, the awards ceremony itself will take place in Paris just before the 2022 Qatar World Cup, on October 17.

How is the Ballon d’Or decided?

In a change from the normal voting system, the nominations and final votes for each award are decided on the previous season this year, in this case from August 1, 2021 to July 31, 2022.

One of football’s most highly respected publications, France Football, give a list of 20 women’s players who will then complete a shortlist of players who will compete to be awarded the title of the world’s best players.

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With the nominations now confirmed, a total of 50 journalists from FIFA’s top 100 nations then choose the five players they believe are the world’s best.

The players on each list are then given points, for example:

First: Six points

Second: Four points

Third: Three points

Fourth: Two points

Fifth: One point

Players are assessed in three areas, Individual and collective performance from the previous season, followed by a player’s class and their career.

Whoever received the most points is the winner of the Ballon d’Or. However, if points are tied, then the winner will be decided by the number of first-place votes they receive.

Who won last year’s Ballon d'Or Féminin?

Barcelona’s Alexia Putellas took home last year’s award after a stunning year for both club and country. She has been in similarly great form this year too, until an ACL injury on the eve of Spain’s Euro 2022 campaign placed her on the sidelines.

She narrowly beat her Barca team mate Jennifer Hermoso, who also missed Euro 2022 through injury, with Chelsea’s Sam Kerr, Arsenal’s Vivianne Miedema and Lieke Martins completing the top five.

What is the full list of nominees for the Ballon d'Or Féminin?

Alexia Putellas (Barcelona), Beth Mead (Arsenal), Vivianne Miedema (Arsenal), Sam Kerr (Chelsea), Wendie Renard (Lyon), Ada Hegerberg (Lyon), Alex Popp (Wolfsburg), Selam Bacha (Lyon), Fridolina Rolfo (Barcelona), Lucy Bronze (Barcelona), Christiane Endler (Lyon), Lena Oberdorf (Wolfsburg), Kadidiatou Diani (PSG) Catarina Macario (Lyon), Aitana Bonmati (Barcelona), Alex Morgan (San Diego Wave), Asisat Oshoala (Barcelona), Marie-Antoinette Katoto (PSG), Millie Bright (Chelsea), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit)

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