Five England internationals and one from Scotland are among those in contention for the 2017 Women’s World XI, following a players’ poll organized by FIFPro.
The Lionesses’ Millie Bright, Lucy Bronze, Karen Carney, Steph Houghton and Jodie Taylor, plus Scotland’s Caroline Weir, made the list off 55 players.
Six Netherlands players made the cut, Lieke Martens is the most prominent of these Dutch players, as the Barcelona forward was named both European and World player of the year by respectively UEFA and FIFA.
Five of her Dutch teammates also have a chance of breaking into the 2017 Women’s World XI: Anouk Dekker, Daniëlle van de Donk, Jackie Groenen, Vivianne Miedema and Shanice van de Sanden.
More than 4,100 female players acting at the highest level in 45 countries worldwide voted for this year’s World XI.
It is the third time that FIFPro organizes this unique poll, which invites female top footballers to select one goalkeeper, four defenders, three midfielders and three attackers.
The 5 goalkeepers, 20 defenders, 15 midfielders and 15 attackers who received most votes appear on the list 55 of players.
This list includes eight women who were voted in the 2016 World XI: Nilla Fischer, Wendie Renard, Dzsenifer Marozsan, Carli Lloyd, Marta, Alex Morgan, Ada Hegerberg and Eugenie Le Sommer.
FIFPro will announce the eleven players who are voted in the 2017 Women’s World XI next Thursday, March 8th, which is also International Women’s Day.
The 55 players on the 2017 list are:
Name (Nationality – Current Club)
Goalkeepers
Katarzyna Kiedrzynek (Poland – Paris Saint-Germain)
Hedvig Lindahl (Sweden – Chelsea FC)
Sandra Paños (Spain – FC Barcelona)
Andreea Părăluță (Romania – Atlético Madrid)
Almuth Schult (Germany – VfL Wolfsburg)
Defenders
Millie Bright (England – Chelsea FC)
Lucy Bronze (England – Olympique Lyonnais)
Kadeisha Buchanan (Canada – Olympique Lyonnais)
Anouk Dekker (The Netherlands – Montpellier)
Kristin Demann (Germany – FC Bayern München)
Nilla Fischer (Sweden – VfL Wolfsburg)
Natalia Gaitán (Colombia – Valencia CF)
Stephanie Houghton (England – Manchester City)
Tuija Hyyrynen (Finland – Juventus FC)
Alanna Kennedy (Australia – Melbourne City FC)
Saki Kumagai (Japan – Olympique Lyonnais)
Ashley Lawrence (Canada – Paris Saint-Germain)
Elena Linari (Italy – ACF Fiorentina FC)
Amel Majri (France – Olympique Lyonnais)
Irene Paredes (Spain – Paris Saint-Germain)
Babett Peter (Germany – VfL Wolfsburg)
Wendie Renard (France – Olympique Lyonnais)
Ali Riley (New Zealand – FC Rosengård)
Line Røddik Hansen (Denmark – FC Barcelona)
Sandra Žigić (Croatia – FF USV Jena)
Midfielders
Camille Abily (France – Olympique Lyonnais)
Karen Carney (England – Chelsea FC)
Sara Däbritz (Germany – FC Bayern München)
Daniëlle van de Donk (The Netherlands – Arsenal FC)
Jackie Groenen (The Netherlands – 1. FFC Frankfurt)
Sara Björk Gunnarsdóttir (Iceland – VfL Wolfsburg)
Amandine Henry (France – Olympique Lyonnais)
Carli Lloyd (United States – Sky Blue FC)
Victoria Losada (Spain – FC Barcelona)
Dzsenifer Marozsán (Germany – Olympique Lyonnais)
Silvia Meseguer (Spain – Atlético Madrid)
Alice Parisi (Italy – ACF Fiorentina FC)
Caroline Seger (Sweden – FC Rosengård)
Marta Vieira da Silva (Brazil – Orlando Pride)
Caroline Weir (Scotland – Liverpool FC)
Forwards
Barbara Bonansea (Italy – Juventus FC)
Deyna Castellanos (Venezuela – FSU)
Pernille Harder (Denmark – VfL Wolfsburg)
Ada Hegerberg (Norway – Olympique Lyonnais)
Jennifer Hermoso (Spain – Paris Saint-Germain)
Samantha Kerr (Australia – Perth Glory)
Eugénie Le Sommer (France – Olympique Lyonnais)
Lieke Martens (The Netherlands – FC Barcelona)
Vivianne Miedema (The Netherlands – Arsenal FC)
Alex Morgan (United States – Orlando Pride)
Nadia Nadim (Denmark – Manchester City)
Ewa Pajor (Poland – VfL Wolfsburg)
Laura Rus (Romania – Apollon FC)
Shanice van de Sanden (Netherlands – Lyonnais)
Jodie Taylor (England – Melbourne City)
Three members of the 2016 World XI did not make it to the list of 55: goalkeeper Hope Solo (USA) and defenders Leonie Maier (Germany) and Ali Krieger (USA).
Although as many as 29 players make their first appearance on the shortlist, three players were voted on both the 2015 and 2016 Women’s World XI: Carli Lloyd, Eugenie Le Sommer and Wendie Renard.
The 55 players have 23 different nationalities, led by the Dutch, then England, France, Germany and Spain, while the USA contingent has been cut from nine to just two.
Of the 23 clubs represented (mostly Lyon, Wolfsburg, Barcelona and PSG) they ply their trade in nine countries, predominantly through the French and German Leagues.
