After three straight wins for Aitana Bonmatí, the race to win the 2026 Ballon d'Or Fémenin is wide open. But who actually deserves to win it? ESPN's Bill Connelly has an idea.
Like women's professional soccer as a whole, the Ballon d'Or Féminin came around after giving the men about a 60-year head start. It has also been dominated by Spain in the 2020s. After Ada Hegerberg and Megan Rapinoe won the first two iterations of the award in 2018 and 2019, either Alexia Putellas (2021-22) or Aitana Bonmatí (2023-25) took home the last five awards. Even with Bonmatí missing six months with a broken leg and failing to make this year's short list, Putellas appears to be the favorite when the award is presented in late October.
But who deserves it most? Connelly applies the same process of elimination he used on the men's side, based on what tends to matter in Ballon d'Or voting: good statistics, popularity and major team success. The first filter removes anyone who did not win a trophy, including Barbra Banda, Melvine Malard, Caroline Weir and Tessa Wullaert. That leaves 26 finalists.
Next, players who won only one trophy must be attackers. Lorena, the NWSL goalkeeper of the year, and Manaka Matsukubo are eliminated, bringing the field to 24. Finally, a player must be the best on her club team, or have a strong case to be. With Barcelona and Manchester City supplying many nominees, a large group of defenders and midfielders falls away, since voters have historically favored attackers.
The remaining field is narrowing, and Putellas remains the leading contender. Connelly's method suggests the strongest case rests with players who combine goals, team honors and standout performances.
Source: ESPN Soccer · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing