Women's Ballon d'Or: England's Millie Bright, Beth Mead and Lucy Bronze nominated for 2022 prize - BBC Sport
England Euro 2022 winners Millie Bright, Beth Mead and Lucy Bronze are nominated for the women's Ballon d'Or but Lionel Messi, the seven-time men's winner, misses out.
Last updated on .From the section Women's Football

England Euro 2022 winners Millie Bright, Beth Mead and Lucy Bronze have been nominated for the women's Ballon d'Or, awarded to the best female footballer of 2022.

Lionel Messi, the seven-time men's winner, misses out as 15 Premier League players - including 12 from Liverpool and Manchester City - are nominated.

Mead was named Euro 2022's best player after winning the Golden Boot award given to the tournament's top scorer.

Organisers will announce the winners on 17 October.

The Lionesses defeated Germany 2-1 after extra time in the final of Euro 2022 at Wembley to secure a first major trophy for a senior England team since the men won the 1966 World Cup.

Bronze, 30, came second behind United States legend Megan Rapinoe for the 2019 Ballon d'Or.

Barcelona and Spain midfielder Alexia Putellas, the 2021 Ballon d'Or winner, is nominated too, as is Chelsea's Sam Kerr, who scored 20 goals in the Women's Super League in 2021-22.

Arsenal's Netherlands forward Vivianne Miedema has also been nominated.

There are 30 players in total nominated for the men's prize - with half of the names on that list playing in this season's Premier League.

The England-based players are Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Joao Cancelo (Manchester City), Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City), Luis Diaz (Liverpool), Fabinho (Liverpool), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Erling Haaland (Manchester City), Harry Kane (Tottenham), Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City), Darwin Nunez (Liverpool), Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Bernardo Silva (Manchester City), Son Heung-min (Tottenham) and Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool).

Real Madrid's Karim Benzema, one of the strong favourites, is listed but Messi does not make it after an underwhelming first season at Paris St-Germain.

England players Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka are among 10 players nominated for the Kopa Trophy, presented to the best performing player under the age of 21.

Meanwhile, four Premier League keepers - Alisson (Liverpool), Ederson (Manchester City), Edouard Mendy (Chelsea) and Hugo Lloris (Tottenham) are in the running for the Yashin Trophy, presented annually by France Football to the best performing goalkeeper.