Matildas ace Kerr on inaugural women's Ballon d'Or shortlist

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Matildas ace Kerr on inaugural women's Ballon d'Or shortlist

Matildas striker Sam Kerr has been shortlisted for the inaugural women's Ballon d'Or award.

The prestigious prize, which has been awarded to the best male player in the world by France Football magazine since 1956, is recognising women players for the first time this year.

Sam Kerr has been shortlisted for the Ballon d'Or.

Sam Kerr has been shortlisted for the Ballon d'Or.Credit: AP

The award will be presented in Paris on December 3 with Kerr one of 15 players in contention for the prize.

Kerr was controversially snubbed for the FIFA's world player of the year award last year despite inspiring Australia to success in the Tournament of Nations, where she scored four times as the Matildas won all three of their games - including victory over the top-ranked USA in the final.

She was named the Asian player of the year, the W-League player of the year and the most valuable player in US football's NWSL following her strong displays for Chicago Red Stars.

Among those up against Kerr are Brazilian star forward Marta along with Norway's Ada Hegerberg and German international Dzsenifer Marozsan.

Meanwhile, Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo was among the 30 nominees for the men's Ballon d'Or.

The Portugal captain has won the award for the past two years and five times in all, a record he shares with Argentina's Lionel Messi, who is also on the list.

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Ronaldo's nomination comes after the 33-year-old last week denied rape allegations levelled against him by a woman who sued him in court in the United States.

Sportswear maker Nike Inc and video game maker Electronic Arts Inc, who both have worked with the five-times Champions League winner, said last Thursday they were concerned about the allegations.

European champions Real Madrid dominate the nominees with eight players, including Croatia midfielder Luka Modric and Wales forward Gareth Bale.

Modric won the Golden Ball as the best player at this year's World Cup in Russia, where Croatia finished runners-up, and last month claimed FIFA's The Best men's player award.

Bale scored twice in the Champions League final win over Liverpool.

France World Cup winners Paul Pogba, N'Golo Kante, Antoine Griezmann, Kylian Mbappe, Raphael Varane - one of the Real Madrid contingent - and captain Hugo Lloris have also been nominated.

A panel of journalists select the winner of the Ballon d'Or, which was first established in 1956.

The award merged with FIFA's world player of the year prize from 2010-15 to create the FIFA Ballon d'Or, but returned to France Football in 2016 while FIFA established The Best awards.

The winners of the prestigious men's and women's awards will be announced at a ceremony in Paris on December 3.

Ballon d'or nominees:
* Lucy Bronze - England
* Pernille Harder - Denmark
* Ada Hegerberg - Norway
* Amandine Henry - France
* Lindsey Horan - USA
* Sam Kerr - Australia
* Fran Kirby - England
* Saki Kumagai - Japan
* Amel Majri - France
* Dzsenifer Maroszan - Germany
* Marta - Brazil
* Lieke Martens - Netherlands
* Megan Rapinoe - USA
* Wendie Renard - France
* Christine Sinclair - Canada

Men's nominees:
* Antoine Griezmann - Atletico Madrid and France
* Neymar - PSG and Brazil
* Gareth Bale - Real Madrid and Wales
* Mohamed Salah - Liverpool and Egypt
* Sergio Aguero - Manchester City and Argentina
* Alisson - Liverpool and Brazil
* Karim Benzema - Real Madrid and France
* Edinson Cavani - Atletico Madrid and Uruguay
* Thibaut Courtois - Real Madrid and Belgium
* Cristiano Ronaldo - Real Madrid and Portugal
* Kevin De Bruyne - Manchester City and Belgium
* Roberto Firmino - Liverpool and Brazil
* Diego Godin - Atletico Madrid and Uruguay
* Eden Hazard - Chelsea and Belgium
* Isco - Real Madrid and Spain
* Harry Kane - Tottenham and England
* N’Golo Kante - Chelsea and France
* Hugo Lloris - Tottenham and France
* Mario Mandzukic - Juventus and Croatia
* Sadio Mane - Liverpool and Senegal
* Marcelo - Real Madrid and Brazil
* Kylian Mbappe - PSG and France
* Lionel Messi - Barcelona and Argentina
* Luka Modric - Real Madrid and Croatia
* Jan Oblak - Atletico Madrid and Slovenia
* Paul Pogba - Manchester United and France
* Ivan Rakitic - Barcelona and Croatia
* Sergio Ramos - Real Madrid and Spain
* Luis Suarez - Barcelona and Uruguay
* Raphael Varane - Real Madrid and France

AAP, AP

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