FIFA Women's World Cup awards

At the end of each FIFA Women's World Cup final tournament, several awards are presented to the players and teams which have distinguished themselves in various aspects of the game.[1]

Awards

There are currently five post-tournament awards from the technical study group:

• the Golden Ball for the best overall player of the tournament (first awarded in 1991);
• the Golden Boot (formerly known as the Golden Shoe) for the top goalscorer of the tournament (first awarded in 1991);
• the Golden Glove (formerly known as the Best Goalkeeper) for the best goalkeeper of the tournament (first awarded in 2003);
• the FIFA Young Player Award for the best player of the tournament under 21 years of age at the start of the calendar year (first awarded in 2011);
• the FIFA Fair Play Award for the team with the best record of fair play during the tournament (first awarded in 1991).

There is currently one award given during the tournament:

• the Player of the Match award for outstanding performance by a player during each match of the tournament (first awarded in 2003).

There is currently one award voted on by fans after the conclusion of the tournament:

• the Goal of the Tournament for the fans' best goal scored during the tournament (first awarded in 2007).

The following five awards are no longer given:

• the All-Star Squad for the best squad of players of the tournament (chosen by the technical study group, awarded from 1999 to 2015);
• the Most Entertaining Team for the team that entertained the fans the most during the tournament (voted on by fans after the conclusion of the tournament, awarded in 2003 and 2007);
• the FANtasy All-Star Team for the fans' best eleven-player line-up of the tournament (voted on by fans after the conclusion of the tournament, awarded in 2003);
• the Dream Team for the fans' best manager and eleven-player line-up of the tournament (voted on by fans after the conclusion of the tournament, awarded in 2015);
• the Players Who Dared to Shine for ten key players of the tournament who "dared to shine" (chosen by the technical study group, awarded in 2019).

Golden Ball

The Golden Ball award is presented to the best player at each FIFA World Cup final, with a shortlist drawn up by the FIFA technical committee and the winner voted for by representatives of the media. Those who finish as runners-up in the vote receive the Silver Ball and Bronze Ball awards as the second and third most outstanding players in the tournament respectively.[2]

World Cup	Golden Ball	Silver Ball	Bronze Ball
1991 China	Carin Jennings	Michelle Akers	Linda Medalen
1995 Sweden	Hege Riise	Gro Espeseth	Ann Kristin Aarønes
1999 United States	Sun Wen	Sissi	Michelle Akers
2003 United States	Birgit Prinz	Victoria Svensson	Maren Meinert
2007 China	Marta	Birgit Prinz	Cristiane
2011 Germany	Homare Sawa	Abby Wambach	Hope Solo
2015 Canada	Carli Lloyd	Amandine Henry	Aya Miyama
2019 France	Megan Rapinoe	Lucy Bronze	Rose Lavelle

Golden Boot

The Golden Boot Award goes to the top goalscorer of the FIFA World Cup. It was introduced as the Golden Shoe at the 1991 FIFA Women's World Cup and renamed to Golden Boot in 2011.[3]

If more than one player finishes the tournament with the same number of goals, the tie goes to the player who has contributed the most assists (with the FIFA Technical Study Group deciding whether an assist is to be counted as such). If there is still a tie, the award goes to the player who has played the least amount of time (most goals per minute).[3]

Silver and Bronze Boots are awarded to the second- and third-placed players.[3]

World Cup	Golden Boot	Goals	Silver Boot	Goals	Bronze Boot	Goals
1991 China	Michelle Akers	10	Heidi Mohr	7	Linda Medalen Carin Jennings	6
1995 Sweden	Ann Kristin Aarønes	6	Hege Riise	5	Shi Guihong	3
1999 United States	Sun Wen Sissi	7			Ann Kristin Aarønes	4
2003 United States	Birgit Prinz	7	Maren Meinert	4	Kátia	4
2007 China	Marta	7	Abby Wambach	6	Ragnhild Gulbrandsen	6
2011 Germany	Homare Sawa	5	Marta	4	Abby Wambach	4
2015 Canada	Célia Šašić	6	Carli Lloyd	6	Anja Mittag	5
2019 France	Megan Rapinoe	6	Alex Morgan	6	Ellen White	6

Golden Glove

Since 2011, the Golden Glove Award recognizes the best goalkeeper of the tournament. In 2003 and 2007, a Best Goalkeeper award was given, and in 1999 two goalkeepers were named to an All-Star Team. The FIFA Technical Study Group recognises the top goalkeeper of the tournament based on the player's performance throughout the final competition.[4] Although goalkeepers have this specific award for their position, they are eligible for the Golden Ball as well.

World Cup	BG / Golden Glove Award
1999 United States	Gao Hong Briana Scurry
2003 United States	Silke Rottenberg
2007 China	Nadine Angerer
2011 Germany	Hope Solo
2015 Canada	Hope Solo
2019 France	Sari van Veenendaal

FIFA Young Player Award

The FIFA Young Player Award is given to the best player in the tournament who is at most 21 years old. For the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup this meant that the player had to have been born on or after 1 January 1998. The FIFA Technical Study Group recognises the Best Young Player of the tournament based on the player's performances throughout the final competition.

World Cup	Best Young Player Award	Age
2011 Germany	Caitlin Foord	16
2015 Canada	Kadeisha Buchanan	19
2019 France	Giulia Gwinn	20

FIFA Fair Play Award

The FIFA Fair Play Trophy is given to the team with the best record of fair play during the World Cup final tournament. Only teams that qualified for the second round are considered. The winners of this award earn the FIFA Fair Play Trophy, a diploma, a fair play medal for each player and official, and $50,000 worth of football equipment to be used for youth development.

World Cup	FIFA Fair Play Trophy Winners
1991 China	Germany
1995 Sweden	Sweden
1999 United States	China PR
2003 United States	China PR
2007 China	Norway
2011 Germany	Japan
2015 Canada	France
2019 France	France

Player of the Match

The player of the match award picks the outstanding player in every match of the tournament since 2003. While the awards from 2003 to 2015 were chosen by the technical study group,[5][6][7][8] from 2019 the winner has been chosen through an online poll on FIFA's website.[9]

POTM award winners in the final

World Cup Final	Player
2003 United States	Bettina Wiegmann
2007 China	Nadine Angerer
2011 Germany	Ayumi Kaihori
2015 Canada	Carli Lloyd
2019 France	Megan Rapinoe

All-Star Squad

World Cup	Goalkeepers	Defenders	Midfielders	Forwards
1999 United States	Gao Hong Briana Scurry	Wang Liping Wen Lirong Doris Fitschen Brandi Chastain Carla Overbeck	Sissi Liu Ailing Zhao Lihong Bettina Wiegmann Michelle Akers	Jin Yan Sun Wen Ann Kristin Aarønes Mia Hamm
2003 United States	Silke Rottenberg	Wang Liping Sandra Minnert Joy Fawcett	Bettina Wiegmann Malin Moström Shannon Boxx	Charmaine Hooper Maren Meinert Birgit Prinz Victoria Svensson
2007 China	Nadine Angerer Bente Nordby	Ariane Hingst Li Jie Ane Stangeland Horpestad Kerstin Stegemann	Daniela Formiga Kelly Smith Renate Lingor Ingvild Stensland Kristine Lilly	Lisa De Vanna Marta Cristiane Birgit Prinz
2011 Germany	Hope Solo Ayumi Kaihori	Elise Kellond-Knight Erika Alex Scott Sonia Bompastor Laura Georges Saskia Bartusiak	Jill Scott Genoveva Añonma Louisa Necib Aya Miyama Shinobu Ohno Homare Sawa Kerstin Garefrekes Caroline Seger Shannon Boxx Lauren Cheney	Marta Lotta Schelin Abby Wambach
2015 Canada	Karen Bardsley Nadine Angerer Hope Solo	Kadeisha Buchanan Lucy Bronze Steph Houghton Wendie Renard Saori Ariyoshi Julie Johnston Meghan Klingenberg	Elise Kellond-Knight Amandine Henry Eugénie Le Sommer Aya Miyama Mizuho Sakaguchi Rumi Utsugi Carli Lloyd Megan Rapinoe	Lisa De Vanna Élodie Thomis Anja Mittag Célia Šašić Ramona Bachmann

Other all-star selections

FANtasy All-Star Team

The "FANtasy All-Star Team", which was sponsored by MasterCard, featured eleven players decided by a poll on FIFA.com.[10][11]

World Cup	Goalkeeper	Defenders	Midfielders	Forwards
2003 United States	Briana Scurry	Juliana Charmaine Hooper Sharolta Nonen Sandra Minnert	Bettina Wiegmann Julie Foudy Kristine Lilly	Maren Meinert Birgit Prinz Mia Hamm

Dream Team

World Cup	Goalkeepers	Defenders	Midfielders	Forwards	Manager
2015 Canada	Hope Solo	Kadeisha Buchanan Wendie Renard Julie Johnston Ali Krieger	Aya Miyama Carli Lloyd Megan Rapinoe	Anja Mittag Célia Šašić Alex Morgan	Silvia Neid

Players Who Dared to Shine

The FIFA Technical Study Group announced a list of ten key players of the tournament who "dared to shine".[12]

World Cup	Goalkeeper	Defenders	Midfielders	Forwards
2019 France	Sari van Veenendaal	Lucy Bronze Crystal Dunn	Jill Scott Julie Ertz Rose Lavelle	Ellen White Vivianne Miedema Sofia Jakobsson Megan Rapinoe

Goal of the Tournament

World Cup	Player	Scored against	Score	Minute	Result	Round	Details
2007 China	Marta[13]	United States	4–0	79'	4–0	Semi-finals	Marta's second goal in the match, a solo effort
2011 Germany	Abby Wambach[14]	Brazil	2–2	120+2'	2–2 (a.e.t.) (5–3 p)	Quarter-finals	Headed equaliser in stoppage time of the second half of extra time, sending the match to a penalty shoot-out
2015 Canada	Carli Lloyd[15]	Japan	4–0	16'	5–2	Final	Lloyd's third goal in the final, scored from the midfield line
2019 France	Cristiane[16]	Australia	2–0	38'	2–3	Group C	Brazil's second goal in their second group stage match, scored via a header

All-time best goal

In 2003, FIFA.com held a poll for the greatest goal in Women's World Cup history (from 1991 to 1999). The 1991 goal from Michelle Akers-Stahl won the poll.[17]

Date	Player	Scored against	Score	Minute	Result	Round	Details
24 November 1991	Michelle Akers-Stahl	Chinese Taipei	2–0	29'	7–0	Quarter-finals	Akers-Stahl's second of five goals in the match, a free kick

The similar "15 for 2015" poll was held from 11 May to 5 June 2015, encompassing the best goals from 1991 to 2011.[18][19] Abby Wambach, who won the Goal of the Tournament in 2011, was chosen.[20]

Date	Player	Scored against	Score	Minute	Result	Round	Details
10 July 2011	Abby Wambach	Brazil	2–2	120+2'	2–2 (a.e.t.) (5–3 p)	Quarter-finals	Headed equaliser in stoppage time of the second half of extra time, sending the match to a penalty shoot-out

Most Entertaining Team

World Cup	Most Entertaining Team Award
2003 United States	Germany
2007 China	Brazil

See also

• List of sports awards honoring women
• FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup
• FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup
• FIFA World Cup
• FIFA World Player of the Year

References

1. "Tournaments". FIFA. Archived from the original on 31 December 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
2. "adidas Golden Ball - FIFA Women's World Cup Final". FIFA. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
3. Hulley-Jones, Frank; Clarke, Sean (6 June 2019). "Golden Boot". The Guardian.
4. "Fifa Women's World Cup Canada 2015 Technical Report and Statistics" (PDF). FIFA. 2015.
5. "Bud Light Player of the Match: Shannon Boxx (USA)". FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 11 October 2003. Archived from the original on 20 June 2006. Retrieved 9 January 2020. "She was the player who made the difference in the American midfield," said TSG member Fran Hilton-Smith, who selected Boxx as the Bud Light Player of the Match.
6. "Report and Statistics – FIFA Women's World Cup China 2007" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 2007. p. 75. Retrieved 9 January 2020. The Player of the Match is selected by the FIFA Technical Study Group after each match.
7. "Maribel Dominguez of Mexico poses with her player of the match award". FIFA.com. Sinsheim: Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 6 July 2011. Archived from the original on 9 January 2020. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
8. "Live Your Goals – Player of the Match". FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 2015. Archived from the original on 2 July 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2020. When the whistle blows at the end of each and every game at the FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015, the experts in FIFA's Technical Study Group (TSG) will name their Live Your Goals Player of the Match.
9. "Your vote counts: 52 matches, two teams, one Player of the Match". FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 7 June 2019. Retrieved 9 January 2020. The Player of the Match vote gives fans across the globe the opportunity to choose the most outstanding footballer in every match at the FIFA Women's World Cup 2019 in real time. The player with the highest number of fan votes receives the award at the end of the game.
10. "FANtasy All-Star Team Results". FIFA. 2003. Archived from the original on 26 June 2006. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
11. "FIFA and MasterCard select the MasterCard All-Star Team from the Top Stars of the FIFA Women's World Cup USA 2003". FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 8 October 2003. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
12. "FIFA Women's World Cup France 2019: Technical Report" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 22 September 2019. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
13. "Goal of the Tournament". FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. Archived from the original on 18 October 2011. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
14. "Goal of the Tournament". FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. Archived from the original on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
15. "Lloyd adds Goal of the Tournament to her haul". FIFA. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
16. "Cristiane's header voted Hyundai Goal of the Tournament". FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 18 July 2019. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
17. "Best Goal Poll". FIFA. 2003. Archived from the original on 8 July 2006. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
18. "15 for 2015: Vote for the best Women's World Cup goal". FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 11 May 2015. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
19. "15 Goals for 2015". FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 2015. Archived from the original on 12 May 2015. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
20. "Wambach's header voted greatest goal". FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 5 June 2015. Retrieved 8 January 2020.

External links

• FIFA Women's World Cup Awards