Carli Lloyd’s awesome performances at the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup still are earning her plaudits more than six months after the tournament.
Lloyd won the 2015 FIFA Women’s Player of the Year Award on Monday at FIFA’s annual Ballon d’Or Gala in Zurich. Lloyd, 33, topped Germany’s Celia Sasic and Japan’s Aya Miyama in the voting to claim the award for the first time in her career.
Just three Americans have won the prestigious award, and Lloyd is the first since 2012 to win women’s soccer’s highest individual honor.
Lloyd scored six goals at the 2015 Women’s World Cup in Canada. Her hat trick in the United States’ 5-2 win over Japan in the final made her a national hero and a shoo-in for the 2015 Women’s World Player Of The Year Award.
Jill Ellis comfortably won the FIFA World Coach of Year for Women’s Football Award. Ellis expertly guided Team USA to glory last summer at the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Ellis joins Pia Sundhage among U.S. coaches to win the World Coach of Year award.
Thumbnail photo via Valeriano Di Domenico/Keystone/The Associated Press
