Houston Dash midfielder Carli Lloyd was named 2015 FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year at the FIFA Ballon d’Or Gala in Zurich on Monday, capping a remarkable year in which she won the Golden Ball as the best player at the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, was named 2015 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year, was nominated for FIFA Goal of the Year and was named co-captain of the U.S. Women’s National Team.
Lloyd is the third American to win world soccer’s most prestigious award, joining Mia Hamm (2001, 2002) and Abby Wambach (2012). Lloyd was voted winner by the captains and head coaches of the world’s women’s national teams as well as international media representatives selected by FIFA. Lloyd was joined onstage by fellow finalists Aya Miyama (Japan) and Célia Šašić (Germany).
U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Jill Ellis was named 2015 Women’s World Coach of the Year while FC Barcelona manager Luis Enrique earned 2015 Men’s World Coach of the Year honors.
Lloyd sealed her Golden Ball performance at last summer’s Women's World Cup, scoring the fastest goal in World Cup Final history, just two minutes and 34 seconds into the match. The New Jersey native became the first female player to score a hat trick in a World Cup Final, scoring three goals in a 16-minute span as the U.S. defeated Japan, 5-2. Her legendary strike from midfield completed the hat trick and was voted Goal of the Tournament and was nominated for FIFA Goal of the Year. Lloyd also won the Silver Boot as the second leading scorer at the Women's World Cup, scoring in all four elimination games and finishing the tournament with six goals total.
Lloyd led the U.S. Women’s National team 18 goals in 2015, a career high for her in a calendar year and surpassing her previous high of 15 scored in 2012. With the Dash, Lloyd scored four goals in 12 matches, including three game-winning goals, and was named to the NWSL Second XI.
Lloyd and the Dash open preseason camp in March ahead of the club’s third season in the NWSL. Dash season tickets for the 2016 campaign begin at just $120 and are available here or by calling (713) 276-GOAL.
