Aitana Bonmati and Olga Carmona, two Spanish Women’s World Cup champions, and Sam Kerr, an Australian striker for Chelsea, were selected to the three-player shortlist for UEFA’s Women’s Player of the Year award on Friday.
Spain was led by Bonmati, a member of European winners Barcelona, who was also crowned World Cup’s best player. Real Madrid’s Carmona scored the game-winning goal against England.
The highest scorer for Chelsea when they won the English Super League and lost to Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final was Kerr, an Australian who had advanced to the finals with the host nation.
The three were picked in a vote by the head coaches of the teams that participated in the Champions League group stages the previous season, the head coaches of the 55 UEFA member nations, and a group of European journalists.
Mary Earps, a goalkeeper for Manchester United and England, almost missed winning as the fourth-highest vote-getter.
On August 31 in Monaco, at the group stage draw for the men’s Champions League, the winner will be declared.
Alexia Putellas, a striker for Barcelona and Spain, has won the last two years.
The three contenders for the coaching prize are Jonatan Giraldez of Barcelona, Jorge Vilda of Spain, and Sarina Wiegman of the Netherlands, who coached England in the World Cup final.