Brazil star Marta has been nominated for FIFA World Player of the Year, looking to win her sixth title in just seven years.
Marta, 26, features on a preliminary shortlist of ten players for the Ballon D’Or, representing the best female footballers in 2012, despite a poor performance by the Brazil women’s team in the London 2012 Olympics.
The striker is rubbing shoulders with stars such as current Ballon D’Or holder and Japan’s captain Homare Sawa as the only Brazilian representative in the shortlist.
The United States, as Olympic champions, dominates the nominees with Abby Wambach, Megan Rapinoe, Carli Lloyd and Alex Morgan representing their nation.
Miho Fukumoto, Aya Minama and Homare Sawa will be representing World Cup holders Japan and the list is rounded out by France’s Camille Abily and Canadian striker Christine Sinclair.
Marta has consistently been one of the best female players in the world winning the Ballon D’Or every year since 2006, only missing out on the award in 2011.
FIFA Premilinary List:
Abby Wambach (USA), Alex Morgan (USA), Aya Minama (Japan), Camille Abiliy (France), Carli Lloyd (USA), Christine Sinclair (Canada), Homare Sawa (Japan), Marta (Brazil), Megan Rapinoe (USA), Miho Fukumoto (Japan).
