The Ballon d'Or announced on Tuesday the five nominees for its Women's Young Talent of the Year award, honouring the best young players in women's football. The prize is organised by the French magazine France Football and will be presented on October 26.
The nominees are Veerle Buurman of the Netherlands, a 20-year-old Chelsea defender; Vicky Lopez of Spain, a 20-year-old Barcelona midfielder; Felicia Schroder of Sweden, a 19-year-old Real Madrid forward; Clara Serrajordi of Spain, an 18-year-old Barcelona midfielder; and Lily Yohannes of the United States, a 19-year-old Lyon midfielder.
Serrajordi is the youngest of the group at 18. Buurman is the only defender among the five finalists, with the rest of the list made up of midfielders and one forward.
The Ballon d'Or announced the shortlist on its official social media account, listing the five players alongside their national flags.
About the Ballon d'Or ceremony
The Ballon d'Or is football's oldest and most prestigious individual award, first handed out in 1956 to English forward Stanley Matthews. It is organised each year by France Football and typically recognises the best men's and women's players, along with categories such as best young talent, best goalkeeper and best club.
This year's ceremony, the 70th edition, will move from its usual home in France to London, England, as a tribute to Matthews, the award's inaugural winner. The event is scheduled for October 26.
The young talent nominees join other categories already unveiled by organisers this week as part of the build-up to the ceremony, with further shortlists, including the best women's goalkeeper and best women's club, also announced in recent days.
What happens next
The winner of the Women's Young Talent of the Year award will be revealed at the ceremony in London on October 26, alongside the winners of the other Ballon d'Or categories for 2026.
