The Barca star took home the prize in 2021, but one of England's Euros heroes and Lyon's Champions League-winner Ada Hegerberg are in also contention
On Monday, the winner of the Ballon d'Or Feminin 2022 will be confirmed, but who will it be? Alexia Putellas' triumph last year was no surprise, with the Barcelona midfielder having an incredible 2020-21 season as she led her club to a treble, which included a first-ever Women's Champions League title.
This time around, it's a little more difficult to call. Many of the players who had barn-storming campaigns in 2021-22 were not the stars of the past summer's major tournaments – be it through injury, as was the case for Putellas, or due to disappointing performances by their respective national teams as a whole.
It's tough to know what weight judges will give to competitions like the European Championship. Given they surprised everyone by not nominating Barca winger Caroline Graham Hansen or her new team-mate Keira Walsh for the award, it's clear that trying to decipher how they think is impossible.
So, all things considered, how might the final ranking for this year's Ballon d'Or Feminin turn out? GOAL takes a look…
Getty10Lena Oberdorf (Wolfsburg)
When the 2021-22 season ended, few would have thought Lena Oberdorf would make it onto the Ballon d'Or shortlist.
The 2020 Women's NXGN winner had another superb season for Wolfsburg – helping the German club take the Frauen-Bundesliga title back from Bayern Munich as well as winning the DFB-Pokal – but as a holding midfielder, those efforts can go under-appreciated.
However, no one could ignore how incredible the 20-year-old was at the Euros. Her performances were absolutely monumental as Germany reached the final, beaten only in extra-time by England.
Oberdorf picked up the Young Player of the Tournament award for her efforts and should be respected in the voting for the Ballon d'Or, too.
AdvertisementGetty Images9Alex Morgan (San Diego Wave)
With it not being a World Cup year, Alex Morgan's performances over the past 12 months may have gone under the radar.
The forward top-scored in the NWSL regular season, netting 15 goals in 17 appearances to fire the San Diego Wave into the play-offs in its inaugural season – making it the first expansion team to do so on its first attempt.
After a few months off the roster, she also had a great summer for the U.S. women's national team. Morgan scored three goals in four CONCACAF Women's Championship games, including the solitary strike in the final against Canada, as Vlatko Andonovski's side won the tournament.
Getty8Millie Bright (Chelsea)
It's uncommon for centre-backs to be recognised in individual awards, but Millie Bright is deservedly on the Ballon d'Or shortlist and should rack up the votes after a great year.
The Chelsea defender was superb for her club as they won the Women's Super League for a third successive season and two FA Cup titles, with the 2020-21 edition seeing its final delayed until December due to the pandemic.
What puts her among the nominees for this award, though, is the fact she built on that with such a stand-out summer for England. Bright was colossal as the Lionesses won the Euros, arguably the best player in her position on show across the tournament.
Getty Images7Sam Kerr (Chelsea)
The Women's Super League Player of the Season, the PFA Players' Player of the Year and the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year – Sam Kerr had herself a year.
The Aussie scored 20 goals in 20 league games, won three domestic trophies and broke tons of records in the process. Her double on the final day of the WSL was particularly special, helping to turn the game around for Chelsea to win the title.
There was no major tournament for Kerr this summer, which may work against her in the voting, as well as the fact the Blues crashed out of the Women's Champions League in the group stages, but it was still one of her best individual seasons yet.