By David Gold
October 28 – FIFA and France Football have revealed the shortlists for the Women’s World Player of the Year and World Coach of the Year Awards, with Brazilian legend Marta bidding to win the player’s award for the sixth year running.
Japan’s Aya Miyama and captain Homare Sawa, who scored goals in the World Cup final victory on penalties against the United States will compete with Marta for the Player of the Year prize, alongside every other player who scored in the match, with America’s Abby Wambach, Alex Morgan and Hope Solo also in the running for the award.
Completing the shortlist are France’s Sonia Bompastor and Louisa Nécib, Germany’s Kerstin Garefrekes and Sweden’s Lotta Schelin.
In the running for the coach’s award is the Japan’s Norio Sasaki (pictured) and his USA counterpart Pia Sundhage, as well as Patrice Lair, the coach of the Olympique Lyonnais team, who won the European Champions League.
England coach Hope Powell is also in the running for the award, while France’s Bruno Bini, Mexico’s Leonardo Cuellar, Sweden’s Thomas Dennerby, Australia’s Tom Sermanni and Spain’s Jorge Vilda make up the contenders.
Captains and coaches of women’s national teams, as well as international media selected by France Football, will vote on the winners.
The men’s shortlist will be unveiled on November 1, and the winners of all awards will be revealed at the FIFA Ballon d’Or gala in Zurich on January 9, 2012.
The FIFA Puskás Award for the best goal of the year and the FIFA/FIFPro World XI will also be selected at the ceremony.
The three men and three women making up the respective shortlists for the final prizes will be announced in December.
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