The 2025 Ballon d'Or nominees are in, and U.S. Women’s National Team stars Lindsey Heaps and Emily Fox are among 30 total named on the women’s side.
Since the evaluation period, which ran from Aug. 1, 2024 to July 31, 2025, Heaps and Fox helped lead the USWNT to its fifth Olympic gold medal and had stellar seasons for their respective clubs.
Fox started 40 matches in an Arsenal shirt last season, helping the Gunners to their second UEFA Women’s Champions League trophy. In addition to being a force on the backline, the right back recorded two goals and two assists across all competitions.
Heaps played 27 games for the Première Ligue-winning OL Lyonnes. The attacking midfielder contributed 13 goals and 10 assists. Her 10 goals in the Première Ligue ranked fourth in the league. The USWNT captain, who this summer represented women’s soccer at the MLS All-Star Skills Challenge, tallied three goals for her country in that span.
Only one U.S. player has won the most prestigious international individual soccer honor: Megan Rapinoe in 2019. The French award created a women’s category in 2018. In total, USWNT players have been named to the shortlist 13 times. Heaps earns her second nomination, while this is Fox's first.
