Homare Sawa, the star of Japan's triumphant World Cup campaign in Germany in the summer, and Brazil's Marta head the list of nominees revealed on Tuesday for the FIFA women's Ballon d'Or award.
The 33-year-old Sawa, competing in her fifth World Cup, led Japan to glory with a penalty shoot-out win in the final against the United States, and won the Golden Boot as the tournament's leading scorer.
Marta, 25, who won the USA Professional Soccer title last season with Western New York Flash, has dominated the award in recent years.
She won the inaugural FIFA Ballon d'Or last year having also won its predecessor, the FIFA World Player of the Year, in each of the previous four years.
The USA boast three names on the ten-name shortlist, with Abby Wambach, who scored in the World Cup final defeat, joined by goalkeeper Hope Solo and striker Alex Morgan.
Saya's compatriot Aya Miyama is also in contention, along with Sonia Bompastor and Louisa Necib of France, Sweden's Lotta Schelin and Kerstin Garefrekes of Germany.
The list will be reduced to three names on December 5, with the winner being revealed at a ceremony in Zurich, Switzerland on January 9, 2012.
Japan's Norio Sasaki is up for nomination for the FIFA World Coach of the Year award.
The winner of each award will be voted for by the captains and head coaches of the women?s national teams as well as by international media representatives selected by France Football magazine.
List of players nominated for FIFA Ballon d'Or 2011: Sonia Bompastor (FRA), Kerstin Garefrekes (GER), Marta (BRA), Aya Miyama (JPN), Alex Morgan (USA), Louisa Necib (FRA), Homare Sawa (JPN), Lotta Schelin (SWE), Hope Solo (USA) and Abby Wambach (USA)
Nominees for FIFA World Coach of the Year (nationality/team coached): Bruno Bini (FRA/France), Leonardo Cuellar (MEX/Mexico), Thomas Dennerby (SWE/Sweden), Patrice Lair (FRA/Olympique Lyonnais), Maren Meinert (GER/Germany U-20), Hope Powell (ENG/England), Norio Sasaki (JPN/Japan), Tom Sermanni (AUS/Australia), Pia Sundhage (SWE/United States), Jorge Vilda (ESP/Spain U-17)
Source: AFP
