Rose Lavelle was the only American nominated for the 2026 Ballon d'Or Féminin, the award given annually to the best player in women's soccer, and she finished 27th in the voting. The U.S. women's national team midfielder made the 30-player shortlist after helping Gotham FC reach the 2025 National Women's Soccer League title match, where she scored the game-winner in the 80th minute against Washington Spirit.
Lavelle also led Gotham FC to the 2026 NWSL Challenge Cup and to the semifinals of both the Concacaf W Champions Cup and the inaugural FIFA Women's Champions Cup this spring.
This marked the second time Lavelle had been included on the Ballon d'Or Féminin shortlist. She was first nominated in 2019 after the United States won its fourth World Cup title, finishing eighth in that year's voting as teammate Megan Rapinoe won the award.
Several factors are cited as having worked against Lavelle's case this year. This was not a World Cup cycle for the women's game, and she does not play in Europe, instead following the NWSL's spring-to-fall calendar rather than the traditional European season used elsewhere. She also played fewer games during the award's voting period, which affected her overall assessment.
Lavelle is now set to turn her attention to the USWNT's bid for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil, which is eight months away.
Alexia Putellas Wins the 2026 Ballon d'Or Féminin
Alexia Putellas won the Ballon d'Or Féminin, her first title since 2022 and the third of her career, following previous wins in 2021 and 2022. The award caps a season in which she helped Barcelona complete a historic quadruple, winning Liga F, the Copa de la Reina, the Supercopa de España and the Champions League. Putellas has since moved to London City Lionesses in England's WSL on a free transfer this past summer.
Her victory continues a run of Spanish winners that includes Aitana Bonmatí's three consecutive titles from 2023 to 2025. The last non-Spanish player to win the award was Megan Rapinoe, seven years ago.
