Putellas wins Best FIFA Women's Player as Wiegman lands top coach award

Alexia Putellas has been crowned the Best FIFA Women's Player, denying England's female representatives a clean sweep at Monday's ceremony.

Sarina Wiegman and Mary Earps had earlier been crowned the Best FIFA Women's Coach and the Best FIFA Women's Goalkeeper respectively following England's Euro 2022 success on home soil last year.

But Beth Mead, the Euro 2022 Player of the Tournament and Golden Boot winner, missed out to Barcelona and Spain midfielder Putellas.

Putellas, who won the Primera Division with Barcelona in 2021-22 but missed the Euros with an ACL injury, is now a two-time winner of the award after also coming out on top last year.

She said: "If you have a dream and fight for it as hard as you can, you can achieve that dream. The most important thing is to enjoy yourself along the way."

Wiegman added: "The Euros were incredible. The stadiums were full, Wembley was full and there were so many families in the stadiums and they were all celebrating football. As the English say, we brought it home. 

"From when I could walk, I loved football and over the years I’ve seen how the women's game has gown and developed. 

"It's incredible to be here right now and celebrate women's football in the world. We have heroes in this room, little girls have their idols. They have inspirations. 

"So many people across the world have worked so hard to get the game where it is right now. We would like to thank them for that because it's fundamental for the women’s game. 

"But with the growth of the game are also a couple of dangers. Because we want to go faster and go bigger, the players become better and the facilities become better but the dangers we have to take care of too. 

"Yes we want to develop but we also have to do the right things. Everyone who is part of the women’s game has the responsibility for that. 

"We are competing on the pitch, but off the pitch we should be a team and work all together to grow the game even more. I hope we will do that together."

San Diego Wave and United States forward Alex Morgan was the other candidate in the running to land the award.

Putellas, Mead and Morgan all appeared in the FIFPro Women's World XI, although Earps missed out to Christiane Endler.

England also had Lucy Bronze, Leah Williamson and Keira Walsh in the team.

Reflecting on a memorable night, Earps said: "I just want to say thank you so much to my loved ones who have picked me up off the kitchen floor to be here, not specifically tonight but a few years ago. 

"For anyone who has been in a dark place, just know there is light at the end of the tunnel so keep going. You can achieve anything that you set your mind to.”