U.S. Women’s National Team midfielder Carli Lloyd was awarded the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year on Monday in Zurich, Switzerland at the Ballon d’Or Gala. Lloyd’s hat trick in the final of the 2015 World Cup helped the U.S. capture its third title, defeating Japan, 5-2.
“I’m very, very honored and humbled,” said Lloyd in a statement. “We all know that individual honors come from being a part of great teams and I want to thank all my teammates and coaches and the many people who have helped me along the way. It was a memorable year for all of us and I want to thank U.S. Soccer for their tremendous support of our national team, as well as FIFA and everyone who voted. Now, we’re all looking forward to the hard work it will take to achieve more success and continuing to the push the women’s game to greater heights.”
The award caps off a year in which Lloyd has won several individual awards, including the Golden Ball, given to the tournament’s best player, and the Silver Boot, awarded to the tournament’s second-leading goal scorer.
Lloyd three-goal final was the first by a female player and her first goal at the two-minute-and-34-second mark is the fastest goal scored in a World Cup final. All together, Lloyd scored her hat trick in a span of 16 minutes (3′, 5′, 16′). The third goal, a strike from midfield, was in the final 10 for the FIFA Puskás Award:
Ladies and Gentlemen, Carli Lloyd. pic.twitter.com/nUbADu05MR
— Our Game Magazine (@OurGameMagazine) July 5, 2015
Also nominated were Japan’s Aya Miyama and Germany’s Célia Šašić, who retired in 2015 and announced she was pregnant during the awards show. Lloyd took home 35% of the votes, with the breakdown as follows:
FIFA Women’s World Player 2015 winner #CarliLloyd received 35.28% of all votes. #CeliaSasic – 12.60%. #AyaMiyama – 9.88%. #BallondOr
— FIFA Media (@fifamedia) January 11, 2016
Jill Ellis, head coach of the U.S. national team, won 2015 FIFA Women’s World Coach of the Year.
Joining the Club
Lloyd becomes the third American to win the award, following in the footsteps of Mia Hamm (2001, 2002) and Abby Wambach (2012).