Women's Ballon d'Or: inaugural award sees Lucy Bronze & Fran Kirby nominated

Right-back Lucy Bronze was part of the Olympique Lyonnais Feminines side that won a  UEFA Women's Champions League and Ligue 1 double last season, after arriving from Manchester City at the start of the campaign. 

Chelsea striker Fran Kirby has also earned a nomination for the award, after enjoying an excellent season in the Women's Super League, and collecting both the PFA Player of the Year and Football Writers' Women's Footballer of the Year for her efforts. 

Brazil captain and Orlando Pride marquee player Marta is also nominated for the award. This follows her victory at the FIFA 'The Best' awards in London last month, where she won the  Women's Footballer of the Year prize. 

Other key names on the shortlist for the women's gong are as follows: Women's Champions League record breaking top scorer Ada Hegerberg, Germany captain Dzsenifer Marozsan, and FC Barcelona forward and World Footballer of the Year in 2017 Lieke Martens. 

The women's Ballon d'Or will be comprised of a 15 woman shortlist, narrowed down to a final three, with the winner to be named at the awards ceremony later this year. 

The ceremony will take place in Paris on December 3rd, alongside the proceedings for the male and other awards, as decided by France Football magazine.