A trinity of Canadian women up for football’s Ballon d’Or for 1st time

Key takeaways:

Sinclair, Lawrence, Fleming between candidates striving for sport’s highest personal award.
Christine Sinclair, Ashley Lawrence and Jessie Fleming are the leading three Canadian women’s soccer champs to be chosen for the coveted Ballon d’Or, granted to the world’s best player.

Canadian women nominated for the women’s Ballon d’Or:

The history-making Canadian women’s football side could additionally add to its legacy.

Three stalwarts of the gold-medal champion team are up for the Ballon d’Or, given to the world’s best soccer player — the first time Canadians have been chosen for the prestigious honour.

But what is the Ballon d’Or?

Given by France Football magazine, the Ballon d’Or had been given out each year since 1956, till the pandemic interrupted it in 2020.

The magazine only began its women’s honour in 2018 when Norway’s Ada Hegerberg won the prize. American star Megan Rapinoe was acquired in 2019.

The women’s and men’s victors will be declared on Nov. 29. Journalists from throughout the world vote on a shortlist of 20 women and 30 men to choose the prize.

This is separate from The Best FIFA Football Awards, of which Sinclair, goalkeeper Stephanie Labbé and manager Bev Priestman are chosen.

Those honours, decided on by fans, will be given out on Jan. 17, 2022

Jessie Fleming (Chelsea)

Fleming’s goal off a penalty kick in a 1-0 semifinal victory up the Americans in Tokyo will go down as one of the seminal moments in Canadian soccer history. The presentation slide at the Canadian sideline was terrific.

It was just the fourth time in 62 matches that Canada conquered the U.S. and the first time since 2001. It also assisted heal the hurts of the contentious 4-3 loss in the London 2012 semifinals. Canadians Sinclair, Labbe and women’s manager Priestman up for FIFA prizes.