The Ballon d'Or Féminin is awarded based on a player's overall performance, including individual skill, team achievements, and fair play. A panel of 50 journalists from the top 50 women's football nations, as ranked by FIFA, vote for their top 10 players from a 30-player shortlist. The points system awards 15 points for first place, 12 for second, and so on down to 1 point for tenth place. The women's award started in 2018, with Ada Hegerberg as the first winner. Aitana Bonmati was the most recent winner for the second time. The voting has a Spanish/ Barcelona bias.
It is likely that either Mariona Caldentey, Aitana Bonmati, or Alexia Putellas will win, even though they lost the Euros final, where the first two penalties were saved. The latter two lost the Champions League final. The Barcelona double act did win the domestic treble, which is no mean feat, but in their league, it's much easier than, say, the WSL.
Melchie Dumornay
UEFA Women’s Champions League Young Player of the Season.
Notched 22 goals and nine assists in 28 Lyon matches
Pernille Harder
Consistent performer in domestic and European competitions
Claudia Pina
Champions League top scorer with 10 goals; key performer in Barça’s season.
Christiana Girelli
I experienced goal threats for clubs and countries and helped them get to unprecedented semi-finals in the Euros.
Hannah Hampton
She won the domestic treble and went unbeaten in all three seasons in the WSL, League Cup, and FA Cup. She also won the Golden Glove for this season.
She had 13 clean sheets across competitions this season.
At the Euros, she outperformed expectations after Mary Earps's sudden retirement and Hampton's receipt of the number one spot for country.
She saved England in two penalty shootouts at the Euros, winning them the final. Saved two penalties overall, including that of two-time Ballon d’Or winner Astana Bonmati in the final, where England meets Spain.
She received the player of the match in the Euros final, playing the tournament with grief after losing her grandad days before the tournament started.
Barbra Banda
Impressive NWSL numbers with 17 goals and four assists.
Emily Fox
Reliable defender for Arsenal; USA standout.
Clara Mateo
Won Coupe de France and UNFP Ligue 1 Player of the Year 2024–25.
Lucy Bronze
She impacted England, scoring the first goal against Sweden to make it 2-1 and bring England back into the game. She scored the winning goal for England against Sweden to make it to the semi-final of the women’s Euros this summer.
She did this all with a broken Tibia. What else can you ask for in a player who puts her life on the line to guide her team to victory? It is precisely what the award is for.
Individually, she has scored crucial goals not just for the country but also for the club. Her crucial goals not only won them the WSL for the eighth time with two games to go but also made them unbeaten, which is a big feat for a defender.
Team achievements: well, Euros and domestic treble, and if that’s not enough, I would question how this award is given. On fair play, she took on the role of Vice-Captain for England and wore the captain's armband—or bracelet—with absolute honour and grace.
Temwa Chawinga
Continued NWSL elite form with 20 goals and seven assists, earning MVP plaudits.
Patri Guijarro
Won domestic trophies (Liga F, Copa, Supercopa).
Contributed 11 goals and 16 assists from midfield.
Lindsey Heaps (Horan)
Defensive mainstay at the elite European level
Steph Catley
Among Arsenal’s standout full-backs, he offered defensive stability, creative crossing, and leadership. Australia is the only nominee this year.
Alexia Putellas
Winner of the award in 2021 and 2022, Putellas underlined her Ballon d'Or credentials yet again with an impressive group stage at Euro 2025, scoring three goals and assisting four more. She provided more assists (11) than any other player in Liga F last season as Barcelona wrapped up a domestic treble.
Across club and country, she has 27 goals and 17 assists.
Aitana Bonmati
Already a two-time Ballon d'Or winner, Bonmati won a domestic treble with Barcelona last season. She recovered from viral meningitis to make her mark at the Euros, scoring the winner in the semi-final against Germany and winning the Player of the Tournament award.
She was also named UFEA Women's Champions League Player of the Season for the third consecutive year, where she had four goals and five assists in 11 matches.
Across all competitions, she had 15 goals and 12 assists in 43 appearances.
Chloe Kelly
Kelly endured a difficult start to the 2024-25 season as she struggled for game time at Manchester City, but the winger has re-found her form since joining Arsenal in January - winning the Champions League and earning her place back in Wiegman's side before scoring a series of vital goals en route to Euro glory.
Sandy Baltimore
Contributed 15 goals and six assists.
Starred in the FA Cup final (2 goals + assist). Featured in the UWCL Team of the Season. Also scored the winner against England in their opening game of the women’s Euros
Frida Maanum
Creative and consistent in midfield roles for Arsenal and Norway.
Caroline Weir
Became Real Madrid Femenino’s all-time top scorer; returned from injury strongly.
Alessia Russo
Russo played an essential role in Arsenal's triumphant Champions League run, and she was the WSL's joint top scorer with 12 goals. The striker only scored twice at Euro 2025, but her equaliser against Spain was crucial in helping the Lionesses get back on track in the final.
Amanda Gutierres
Standout in Brazil’s domestic league.
Ewa Pajor
Liga F Golden Boot winner with 25 league goals.
Finished the season with approximately 51 goals and 16 assists in all competitions.
Esther Gonalez
Proven NWSL threat for the club and Spain. Euros ' all-time goal scorer for Euros 2025 with four goals.
Klara Buhl
Explosive winger with substantial domestic and European scoring contributions
Mariona Caldentey
Caldentey might have lost in the Euros final, but she enjoyed an impressive first season at Arsenal. She scored seven goals as the Gunners won the Champions League and was named the WSL's player of the year.
Caroline Graham Hansen
Posted 20 goals and 15 assists in 2024–25 for Barcelona and Norway.
Finished as last year’s Ballon d’Or runner-up and remains a top contender
Marta
Continued legend status: key in Brazil’s Copa America win with a brace in the final.
Johanna Rytting Kaneryd
36 appearances, five goals, six assists; scored Goal of the Season.
Sofia Cantore
Dynamic forward in the NWSL, key in playoff push with goals and assists
Leah Williamson
Williamson is the most decorated England football captain, winning back-to-back Euros trophies to top off a rocky season. It did not start well for Arsenal, but it ended with them lifting the Champions League in Lisbon for the second time in history. She is the club's vice-captain and has taken on more responsibility as Kim Little is gradually approaching her career's end.
She weathered the storms of the Euros, including playing with an injury, but she did not pack her suitcase until after the final, when I believe maybe she should get some penalty practice. This is my only constructive criticism.
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