FIFA Women's World Cup awards


At the end of each FIFA Women's World Cup final tournament, several awards are presented to the players and teams which have distinguished themselves in various aspects of the game.

Awards

  • There are currently five post-tournament awards from the FIFA Technical Study Group:
  • *the Golden Ball for the best overall player of the tournament ;
  • *the Golden Boot for the top goalscorer of the tournament ;
  • *the Golden Glove for the best goalkeeper of the tournament ;
  • *the FIFA Young Player Award for the best player of the tournament under 21 years of age at the start of the calendar year ;
  • *the FIFA Fair Play Trophy for the team with the best record of fair play during the tournament.
  • There is currently one award voted on by fans during the tournament:
  • *the Player of the Match for outstanding performance by a player during each match of the tournament.
  • There is currently one award voted on by fans after the conclusion of the tournament:
  • *the Goal of the Tournament for the fans' best goal scored during the tournament.
  • The following five awards are no longer given:
  • *the All-Star Squad for the best squad of players of the tournament ;
  • *the Most Entertaining Team for the team that entertained the fans the most during the tournament ;
  • *the FANtasy All-Star Team for the fans' best eleven-player line-up of the tournament ;
  • *the Dream Team for the fans' best manager and eleven-player line-up of the tournament ;
  • *the Players Who Dared to Shine for ten key players of the tournament who "dared to shine".

Golden Ball

The Golden Ball award is presented to the best player at each FIFA World Cup final, with a shortlist drawn up by the FIFA technical committee and the winner voted for by representatives of the media. Those who finish as runners-up in the vote receive the Silver Ball and Bronze Ball awards as the second and third most outstanding players in the tournament respectively.
World CupGolden BallSilver BallBronze Ball
1991 China Carin Jennings Michelle Akers Linda Medalen
1995 Sweden Hege Riise Gro Espeseth Ann Kristin Aarønes
1999 United States Sun Wen Sissi Michelle Akers
2003 United States Birgit Prinz Victoria Svensson Maren Meinert
2007 China Marta Birgit Prinz Cristiane
2011 Germany Homare Sawa Abby Wambach Hope Solo
2015 Canada Carli Lloyd Amandine Henry Aya Miyama
2019 France Megan Rapinoe Lucy Bronze Rose Lavelle
2023 Australia/New Zealand Aitana Bonmatí Jennifer Hermoso Amanda Ilestedt

Golden Boot

The Golden Boot award goes to the top goalscorer of the FIFA World Cup. It was introduced as the Golden Shoe at the 1991 FIFA Women's World Cup and renamed to Golden Boot in 2011.
If more than one player finishes the tournament with the same number of goals, the tie goes to the player who has contributed the most assists. If there is still a tie, the award goes to the player who has played the least amount of time.
Silver and Bronze Boots are awarded to the second- and third-placed players.
World CupGolden BootGoalsSilver BootGoalsBronze BootGoals
1991 China Michelle Akers10 Heidi Mohr7 Linda Medalen
Carin Jennings
6
1995 Sweden Ann Kristin Aarønes6 Hege Riise5 Shi Guihong3
1999 United States Sun Wen
Sissi
7 Ann Kristin Aarønes4
2003 United States Birgit Prinz7 Maren Meinert4 Kátia4
2007 China Marta7 Abby Wambach6 Ragnhild Gulbrandsen6
2011 Germany Homare Sawa5 Marta4 Abby Wambach4
2015 Canada Célia Šašić6 Carli Lloyd6 Anja Mittag5
2019 France Megan Rapinoe6 Alex Morgan6 Ellen White6
2023 Australia/New Zealand Hinata Miyazawa5 Kadidiatou Diani4 Alexandra Popp4

Golden Glove

The Golden Glove award recognizes the best goalkeeper of the tournament since 2011. In 2003 and 2007, a Best Goalkeeper award was given, and in 1999 two goalkeepers were named to an All-Star Team. The FIFA Technical Study Group recognises the top goalkeeper of the tournament based on the player's performance throughout the final competition. Although goalkeepers have this specific award for their position, they are eligible for the Golden Ball as well.
World CupBG / Golden Glove AwardClean sheets
1999 United States Gao Hong4
1999 United States Briana Scurry4
2003 United States Silke Rottenberg2
2007 China Nadine Angerer6
2011 Germany Hope Solo2
2015 Canada Hope Solo5
2019 France Sari van Veenendaal3
2023 Australia/New Zealand Mary Earps3

FIFA Young Player Award

The FIFA Young Player Award is given to the best player in the tournament who is at most 21 years old. For the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup this meant that the player had to have been born on or after 1 January 1998. The FIFA Technical Study Group recognises the Best Young Player of the tournament based on the player's performances throughout the final competition.
World CupBest Young Player AwardAge
2011 Germany Caitlin Foord16
2015 Canada Kadeisha Buchanan19
2019 France Giulia Gwinn20
2023 Australia/New Zealand Salma Paralluelo19

FIFA Fair Play Trophy

The FIFA Fair Play Trophy is given to the team with the best record of fair play during the World Cup final tournament. Only teams that qualified for the second round are considered. The winners of this award earn the FIFA Fair Play Trophy, a diploma, a fair play medal for each player and official, and $50,000 worth of football equipment to be used for youth development.
World CupFIFA Fair Play Trophy Winners
1991 China
1995 Sweden
1999 United States
2003 United States
2007 China
2011 Germany
2015 Canada
2019 France
2023 Australia/New Zealand

Player of the Match

The Player of the Match award picks the outstanding player in every match of the tournament since 2003.
While the awards from 2003 to 2015 were chosen by the technical study group, from 2019 the winner has been chosen through an online poll on FIFA's website.
World CupPlayer with most POTM winsWins
2003 United States Birgit Prinz
Bettina Wiegmann
Dagny Mellgren
Victoria Svensson
2
2007 China Daniela
Marta
Kelly Smith
Nadine Angerer
Birgit Prinz
Ane Stangeland Horpestad
2
2011 Germany Aya Miyama
Homare Sawa
Lotta Schelin
Abby Wambach
2
2015 Canada Carli Lloyd4
2019 France Megan Rapinoe3
2023 Australia/New Zealand Hinata Miyazawa
Amanda Ilestedt
3

RankPlayerWinsWorld Cup with awards
1 Marta52003, 2007, 2011, 2019
1 Aya Miyama52011, 2015
1 Carli Lloyd52011, 2015
4 Birgit Prinz42003, 2007
4 Megan Rapinoe42015, 2019
6 Daniela32003, 2007
6 Amandine Henry32015, 2019
6 Nadine Angerer32007, 2015
6 Alexandra Popp32019, 2023
6 Homare Sawa32007, 2011
6 Hinata Miyazawa32023
6 Lieke Martens32015, 2019
6 Amanda Ilestedt32023
6 Lotta Schelin32007, 2011
6 Alex Morgan32019, 2023
6 Abby Wambach32007, 2011

RankCountryAwards
125
224
322
420
420
617
715
814
913
1011
118
118
137
137
155
164
164
183
183
183
183
183
183
242
242
242
242
242
242
242
242
321
321
321
321
321
321

FinalPlayerOpponent
2003 United States Bettina Wiegmann
2007 China Nadine Angerer
2011 Germany Ayumi Kaihori
2015 Canada Carli Lloyd
2019 France Megan Rapinoe
2023 Australia/New Zealand Olga Carmona

All-Star Squad

Other all-star selections

FANtasy All-Star Team

The "FANtasy All-Star Team", which was sponsored by MasterCard, featured eleven players decided by a poll on FIFA.com.
World CupGoalkeeperDefendersMidfieldersForwards
2003 United States Briana Scurry Juliana
Charmaine Hooper
Sharolta Nonen
Sandra Minnert
Bettina Wiegmann
Julie Foudy
Kristine Lilly
Maren Meinert
Birgit Prinz
Mia Hamm

Players Who Dared to Shine

The FIFA Technical Study Group announced a list of ten key players of the tournament who "dared to shine".
World CupGoalkeeperDefendersMidfieldersForwards
2019 France Sari van Veenendaal Lucy Bronze
Crystal Dunn
Jill Scott
Julie Ertz
Rose Lavelle
Ellen White
Vivianne Miedema
Sofia Jakobsson
Megan Rapinoe

Goal of the Tournament

The Goal of the Tournament award was awarded for the first time at the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup.
  • Scores and results list the goal tally of the players' team first.

All-time best goal

In 2003, FIFA.com held a poll for the greatest goal in Women's World Cup history.
The 1991 goal from Michelle Akers-Stahl won the poll.
DatePlayerScored againstScoreMinuteResultRoundDetails
24 November 1991 Michelle Akers-Stahl2–029'7–0Quarter-finalsAkers-Stahl's second of five goals in the match, a free kick

The similar "15 for 2015" poll was held from 11 May to 5 June 2015, encompassing the best goals from 1991 to 2011.
Abby Wambach, who won the Goal of the Tournament in 2011, was chosen.
DatePlayerScored againstScoreMinuteResultRoundDetails
10 July 2011 Abby Wambach2–2120+2'2–2
Quarter-finalsLast-minute headed equaliser in additional time of the second half of extra time
and sending the match to a penalty shoot-out