Jeff Kassouf of ESPN covers women's soccer and the 2026 Ballon d'Or Féminin shortlist. Rose Lavelle, the only U.S. international named, laughed off the praise, crediting the wealth of talent around her. Lavelle earned the spot after a standout year with the USWNT and Gotham FC, including the 2025 NWSL Championship winning goal.
However, she is considered a long shot to win. The global power shift from the United States to Europe is the primary barrier. Spain's 2023 World Cup victory was a tipping point, and the award's European calendar structure disadvantages the NWSL season.
Crystal Dunn echoed this sentiment, noting the award skews European. Spain's dominance is attributed to its deep pool of world-class players. A Spanish player has won each of the last five Ballon d'Or and FIFA Best awards, including Alexia Putellas twice and Aitana Bonmatí's three-peat.
The U.S. last saw a winner in 2019 with Megan Rapinoe. Since then, Alex Morgan's 2022 third-place finish is the only top-three result. The article concludes that without a major shift in global power, a U.S. player or one outside Europe is unlikely to win the Ballon d'Or or FIFA Best award anytime soon.
Source: ESPN Soccer · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing