This year’s Ballon d’Or has sparked controversy and debate across the internet as fans reacted to Megan Rapinoe being crowned winner for the women’s prize on Monday night.
She was closely followed by England’s Lucy Bronze and USWNT teammate, Alex Morgan.
Rapinoe is undoubtedly an ambassador for the game, lifting not only herself and her teammates, but encouraging players and women across the world.
Her and Morgan’s inclusion is understandable after the USA lifted their fourth World Cup in the summer and they both ended the tournament as joint top goal-scorer alongside Ellen White.
But, debate surrounds what happened outside the World Cup and the fact she’s played in only six games for Reign FC in the NWSL this year, failing to score or assist throughout the season.
It can be argued Lucy Bronze is a more deserving candidate after reaching the World Cup semi-final with England and playing a key role in her club, Olympique Lyonnais Féminin, winning another Champions League trophy and lifting the Division 1 Féminine title for the fourteenth time.
But there are a number of players who have performed consistently throughout the entirety of 2019 as opposed to a one-off tournament, that placed lower than expected (or not at all) in the rankings.
Vivianne Miedema: Arsenal’s goalscoring machine
The Arsenal forward topped the Women’s Super League’s goalscoring charts last season with 22 goals, helping her side win their third league title.
The Gunners currently sit top of the WSL, though Chelsea do have a game in hand, but Miedema has already recorded 10 goals and four assists before the campaign has even reached the halfway point.
The dutch star, of course, receives appreciation from fans and the media in this country as she dominates the English game.
She is also the Netherland’s star player and helped them to the World Cup final, only on an international level is her brilliance overlooked.
Quiet and modest, Miedema doesn’t have the image and popularity boasted by the USWNT captain.
Miedema does her talking solely on the pitch and she’ll continues to prove why she should be regarded as one of, if not the best in the world.
Miedema was only ranked 5th in the standings, behind Ada Hegerberg in fourth.
Sam Kerr: Australia’s finest
Seventh place for a player of Kerr’s quality seems absurd, given she’s played extremely well throughout 2019.
Kerr became the only Australian player, man or woman, to score a hat-trick at the FIFA World Cup when she put four past Jamaica in the Group Stage of the tournament.
The Matildas missed out on a place in the quarter-finals after Norway overcame them on penalties, but the 26-year-old was without a doubt one of the stand-out players of the summer.
At club level, Kerr has scored 19 times in 23 appearances for the Chicago Red Stars in the NWSL, to earn them a second-placed finish in the 2019 season.
She’s set to take the English top flight by storm when she joins Emma Hayes’ Chelsea in January and will be determined to pip title rivals Arsenal to the WSL title.
Julie Ertz: The USWNT actual best player
The immediate names that come to mind when the four-time World Cup winners are mentioned is, of course, Rapinoe and Morgan.
But, social profiles and popularity doesn’t necessarily coincide with technical ability and performances on the pitch.
Julie Ertz isn’t a player in the limelight, but her tenacity and talent highlight exactly why she should’ve made the Ballon d’Or shortlist.
The 27-year-old wasn’t even named in the top 20.
Rose Lavelle, who did in fact make the cut in 8th, can also be hailed as the heartbeat of the US National team – along with Ertz.
Forwards typically get more recognition but the oversight of the midfielder is almost criminal, especially given she captained the Chicago Red Stars to their first ever NWSL final.
She was also instrumental to the USA’s World Cup triumph, but it was Rapinoe and Morgan that took the headlines and that ultimately led to them claiming the individual prizes this year.
Rapinoe may have been the star off the pitch, but it was undoubtedly Ertz that was the star on it.
Date Written: December 5th 2019 | University work – News day
Hannah Pinnock Sports Blog 