Rose Lavelle Places 27th in Ballon d'Or Voting
The Gotham FC midfielder was the only American nominated for the 2026 Ballon d'Or Féminin.
Updated on Oct. 26, 2026 in Soccer
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Rose Lavelle finished 27th in the 2026 Ballon d'Or Féminin voting as the sole American representative on the 30-player shortlist. Alexia Putellas claimed the award, marking her third career win.
Why it matters
Lavelle received her nomination following a strong performance that included leading Gotham FC to the 2025 NWSL title match and a 2026 semifinal appearance. Her standing reflects the competitive gap between NWSL and European-based players, who often benefit from heavier match volumes during the voting period.
Rose Lavelle finished 27th among the 30 nominees for the 2026 Ballon d'Or Féminin, a decline from her 8th place finish in 2019. In comparison, winner Alexia Putellas has secured the award three times in her career.
The players
Rose Lavelle
An American professional soccer player currently competing for Gotham FC in the NWSL.
Alexia Putellas
A Spanish professional soccer player who has won the Ballon d'Or Féminin three times.
Aitana Bonmatí
A Spanish midfielder who dominated the award by winning the Ballon d'Or Féminin in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
The details
Lavelle's nomination was driven by her leadership at Gotham FC, where she recently secured the 2026 NWSL Challenge Cup. Despite her domestic success, she played fewer games than many European-based candidates, which influenced the final voting outcome determined by global performance assessments.
Timeline
2019: Rose Lavelle was first nominated for the Ballon d'Or.
2025: Rose Lavelle led Gotham FC to the NWSL title match.
2026: Rose Lavelle finished 27th in Ballon d'Or voting.
2027: The FIFA Women's World Cup is scheduled to take place in Brazil.
Season Trajectory
The Ballon d'Or Féminin highlights the current global dominance of European-based players compared to those competing in the NWSL. This result follows a pattern where international stars like Aitana Bonmatí and Alexia Putellas consistently rank higher in the award cycle.
Lavelle's standing underscores the challenges NWSL players face in global award recognition due to differences in league schedules and match volume. Fans can anticipate her continued impact as she prepares for the upcoming 2027 World Cup cycle with the national team.
The takeaway
The ranking highlights the heavy influence that European club schedules and match volume have on global award recognition for soccer players. Athletes competing in the NWSL may face different metrics for evaluation compared to their peers playing abroad.
What happens next
Rose Lavelle is set to compete for the United States in the 2027 Women's World Cup, which will be hosted in Brazil.
Further reading
For more on the current landscape of the professional game, visit Soccer.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Sports Illustrated.
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