FIFPro today revealed the list with 55 female footballers who received most votes for the 2016 World XI. The list includes 6 players from Germany’s Olympic Gold medal team.
FIFPro’s will announce the Women’s World XI on March 8th, which is also International Women’s Day, a moment dedicated to celebrate women’s achievements.
More than 3,000 female players from 47 countries voted for the 2016 World XI. FIFPro invited them to select one goalkeeper, four defenders, three midfielders and three forwards.
The 55-player-shortlist consists of the 5 goalkeepers, 20 defenders, 15 midfielders and 15 attackers who received most votes.
In 2015, FIFPro organized its first Women’s World XI election, which involved female players voting in 20 countries. The 2015 World XI included Hope Solo, Wendie Renard, Meghan Klingenberg, Kadeisha Buchanan, Julie Johnston, Carli Lloyd, Amandine Henry, Aya Miyama, Celia Sasic, Eugenie Le Sommer and Anja Mittag.
Nine of them are on the current 55 player shortlist. Only Sasic (retired) and Miyama (plagued by injuries) did not make it.
THE 55-PLAYER SHORTLIST:
Name (country, current club
GOALKEEPERS:
Katarzyna Kiedrzynek (Poland, Paris Saint-Germain)
Hedvig Lindahl (Sweden, Chelsea, photo)
Andreea Paraluta (Romania, Atletico)
Tinja-Riikka Korpela (Finland, FC Bayern Munich)
Hope Solo (USA, Free agent)
DEFENDERS:
Lucy Bronze (England, Manchester City)
Kadeisha Buchanan (Canada, Olympique Lyonnais)
Stephanie Catley (Australia, Melbourne City)
Nilla Fischer (Sweden, VfL Wolfsburg)
Sara Gama (Italy, ACF Brescia)
Laura Georges (France, Paris Saint-Germain)
Stephanie Houghton (England, Manchester City)
Julie Johnston (USA, Chicago Red Stars)
Meghan Klingenberg (USA, Portland Thorns)
Tabea Kemme (Germany, 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam)
Ali Krieger (USA, Orlando Pride)
Leonie Maier (Germany, FC Bayern Munich)
Amel Majri (France, Olympique Lyonnais)
Griedge M’Bock (France, Olympique Lyonnais)
Wendie Renard (France, Olympique Lyonnais)
Irene Paredes (Spain, Paris Saint-Germain)
Ali Riley (New Zealand, FC Rosengard)
Line Roddik Hansen (Denmark, FC Barcelona)
Becky Sauerbrunn (USA, FC Kansas City)
Marta Torrejon (Spain, FC Barcelona)
MIDFIELDERS :
Camille Abily (France, Olympique Lyonnais)
Melanie Behringer (Germany, FC Bayern Munich)
Veronica Boquete (Spain, Paris Saint-Germain)
Sara Björk Gunnarsdottir (Iceland, VfL Wolfsburg)
Pernille Harder (Denmark, VfL Wolfsburg)
Tobin Heath (USA, Portland Thorns)
Jenni Hermoso (Spain, FC Barcelona)
Amandine Henry (France, Paris Saint-Germain)
Saki Kumagai (Japan, Olympique Lyonnais)
Carli Lloyd (USA, Manchester City)
Dzsenifer Marozsan (Germany, Olympique Lyonnais)
Marta (Brazil, FC Rosengard, photo)
Claudia Neto (Portugal, Linköpings FC)
Megan Rapinoe (USA, Seattle Reign)
Caroline Seger (Sweden, Olympique Lyonnais)
ATTACKERS :
Andressa Alves (Brazil, FC Barcelona)
Ramona Bachmann (Switzerland, Chelsea)
Cristiane (Brazil, Paris Saint-Germain)
Shirley Cruz (Costa Rica, Paris Saint-Germain)
Caroline Graham Hansen (Norway, VfL Wolfsburg)
Ada Hegerberg (Norway, Olympique Lyonnais)
Eugenie Le Sommer (France, Olympique Lyonnais)
Vivianne Miedema (Netherlands, Bayern, photo)
Anja Mittag (Germany, VfL Wolfsburg)
Alex Morgan (USA, Olympique Lyonnais)
Louisa Necib (France, Retired)
Alexandra Popp (Germany, VfL Wolfsburg)
Alexia Putellas (Spain, FC Barcelona)
Lotta Schelin (Sweden, FC Rosengard)
Christine Sinclair (Canada, Portland Thorns)
FACTS AND FIGURES:
• The USA is the country with most players on the list: 9. France (8) and Germany (6) are next.
• All six German players won the gold medal at the 2016 Olympics: Leonie Maier, Tabea Kemme, Dzenifer Marozsan, Melanie Behringer, Alexandra Popp and Anja Mittag.
• Players from 22 different countries made the shortlist.
• The list of 55 is dominated by players of Olympique Lyonnais, as 11 are currently under contract for the French holder of the women’s Champions League. Paris Saint-Germain (7) and VfL Wolfsburg (6) are second and third.
• Most players are currently playing in the French league (18). 11 are playing in Germany, 7 in the USA.
• Two players do not have a club: Louisa Necib retired, while Hope Solo is a free agent.
• The other 53 players are based in 8 different leagues.
• Among the listed players are two former World Players of the Year: Marta (2006-2007-2008-2009-2010) and Carli Lloyd (2015-2016).
