Five players on the USWNT’s Olympic gold-medal team were named to the short list for the 2024 Ballon d’Or Féminin: goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, captain and midfielder Lindsey Horan and forwards Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith and Mallory Swanson.

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Paul Kennedy edited Soccer America for 41 years (1985-2026). He began writing for SA in 1974. He started writing for France Football in 1978 and has served on in Ballon d'Or jury since 2007.