England’s Mary Earps has been shortlisted once again for the Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper Award.
The Manchester United stopper won the trophy earlier this year and is the favourite to go back to back when it is handed out in London on January 15.
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Earps faces competition from Australia’s Mackenzie Arnold and Spain’s Catalina Coll with votes cast on performances delivered between August 1, 2022 and August 20, 2023.
The 30-year-old enjoyed a strong 12 months with United and was a key part of the Lionesses’ run to the World Cup final where they lost out to Spain 1-0, conceding just four goals in seven games.
In the opposite goal for the title game in Sydney was Coll, who rose to prominence during the tournament in Australia and New Zealand.
First finalists for The Best FIFA Football Awards™ 2023 revealed.
The finalists for The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper are (in alphabetical order):
Mackenzie Arnold (Australia / West Ham United FC)
Catalina Coll (Spain / FC Barcelona)
Mary Earps (England / Manchester United) pic.twitter.com/rD4dtIvtzH— FIFA Media (@fifamedia) December 12, 2023
Having started the first few games on the bench, she made her international debut in the round of 16 clash with Switzerland and never looked back, producing a series of strong displays to help her country to glory.
West Ham’s Arnold also made quite the impact at the World Cup, keeping four clean sheets and becoming a national hero by saving three spot-kicks in the nerve-jangling penalty shoot-out win over France in the quarter-finals.
The voting period for the men’s event starts on December 19, 2022 – the day after the World Cup final – meaning club achievements take a greater focus.
And that is likely to see Ederson crowned the winner due to the part he played in Manchester City’s treble-winning season.
The other nominees are Yassine Bounou, who saved two penalties in Sevilla’s Europa League final penalty shoot-out triumph over Roma, and Thibaut Courtois for his part in Real Madrid’s Copa del Rey success.
