Alex Morgan, Kelley O’Hara headline FIFA World 11 shortlist

FIFA has released the shortlist for the 2022 FIFPRO Women’s World 11, the only global player award voted on exclusively by the players themselves.

Alex Morgan and Kelley O’Hara represent the United States women’s national team on the 23-player list, which features the best women’s soccer players based on their performances from Aug. 7, 2021 to July 31, 2022. The final World 11 will be revealed at The Best FIFA Football Awards in Paris on Feb. 27.

The 2022 FIFA FIFPRO Women’s #World11 shortlist 🤩

This award is the only global player award decided exclusively by footballers. The #World11 will be revealed at The Best FIFA Football Awards 2022, in Paris on Monday Feb 27, 2023‼️ pic.twitter.com/oWwAVrIHjj

— Attacking Third (@AttackingThird) February 13, 2023

Morgan, the USWNT’s sole nominee for the Best FIFA Women’s Player award, won the 2022 NWSL Golden Boot after scoring 15 regular-season goals for the San Diego Wave. The 33-year-old forward also scored the game-winning goal for the USWNT on a penalty kick in the Concacaf W Championship final, securing the U.S. a spot in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Morgan was named one of three finalists last week for FIFA’s top player award, joining England’s Beth Mead and Spain’s Alexia Putellas.

O’Hara played over 1,200 minutes for the USWNT in 2021 and was a key contributor to the team’s bronze medal-winning campaign at the Tokyo Olympics. She then recorded a goal and two assists in eight games in 2022, but hasn’t played for the U.S. since withdrawing from camp last August with a lingering hip injury. O’Hara, 34, plays as an outside back for the U.S. but was listed as a midfielder on the World 11 shortlist.

Sophia Smith is notably absent from the shortlist after being named the 2022 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year in January. Smith, 22, led the USWNT with 11 goals last year, becoming the youngest player to do so since Mia Hamm in 1993. Despite finishing second to Morgan in the NWSL Golden Boot race, Smith won NWSL MVP and Championship MVP after leading the Portland Thorns to the NWSL title in October.

The World 11 will feature the goalkeeper, three defenders, three midfielders and three forwards who receive the most votes. The remaining outfield players with the next highest number of votes will fill the last spot.

Full shortlist

Goalkeepers

Mary Earps (Manchester United, England)
Christiane Endler (Olympique Lyonnais, Chile)
Sandra Panos (Barcelona, Spain)

Defenders

Lucy Bronze (Manchester City/Barcelona, England)
Ellie Carpenter (Olympique Lyonnais, Australia)
Ashley Lawrence (Paris Saint-Germain, Canada)
Mapi Leon (Barcelona, Spain)
Irene Paredes (Barcelona, Spain)
Wendie Renard (Olympique Lyonnais, France)
Leah Williamson (Arsenal, England)

Midfielders

Aitana Bonmati (Barcelona, Spain)
Caroline Graham Hansen (Barcelona, Norway)
Amandine Henry (Olympique Lyonnais, France)
Lena Oberdorf (Wolfsburg, Germany)
Kelley O’Hara (Washington Spirit/NJ/NY Gotham, USA)
Alexia Putellas (Barcelona, Spain)
Keira Walsh (Manchester City/Barcelona, England)

Forwards

Ada Hegerberg (Olympique Lyonnais, Norway)
Sam Kerr (Chelsea, Australia)
Beth Mead (Arsenal, England)
Vivianne Miedema (Arsenal, Netherlands)
Alex Morgan (Orlando Pride/San Diego Wave, USA)
Ellen White (Manchester City, England)