Selected by a panel of women soccer experts, FIFA announced ten candidates for the best women's player of 2017. The panel included former soccer stars from around the globe, including Mia Hamm, Nadine Kessler, Sissi, and Sun Wen, to name a few. Fans can help select the final three nominees by voting online, which starts on Monday, August 21st and ends on Thursday, September 7th. National team coaches, national team captains, and media also take part in the voting process.

The final three nominees will be announced in mid-September, and The Best FIFA Football Awards ceremony will take place on Monday, October 23rd in London where the winner will receive the award.

Sam Kerr from Sky Blue FC and Carli Lloyd from the Houston Dash are a part of the shortlist of candidates. Lloyd won the award in 2015 and 2016.

Kerr has contributed significantly to both club and country. The Australian international and Sky Blue FC forward has used both her speed and skills to lead her teams to victory. In July, Kerr became the NWSL's all-time leading scorer and is one of the top goalscorers in the league with 11 goals. At the Tournament of Nations this summer, the inaugural round-robin tournament featuring the United States, Japan, and Brazil, Kerr led Australia to its first silverware in seven years. Kerr was the tournament's leading goalscorer with five goals. In her native Australia in the 2016/17 W-League season, Kerr served as captain for the Perth Glory with whom she reached the final with against Melbourne City FC. Kerr was awarded the Julie Dolan Medal as the league's most valuable player at the end of the season.

LLoyd returned to the Dash in June, helping them get closer to playoff contention. | Photo: E. Sbrana - Earchphoto
LLoyd returned to the Dash in June, helping them get closer to playoff contention. | Photo: E. Sbrana - Earchphoto

Lloyd is the reigning Best Women's Player of the Year, chosen for her contributions to the United States Women's National Team, including for her infamous hat-trick at the 2015 Women's World Cup and goal-scoring form in 2016. Lloyd spent the first half of 2017 in England with Manchester City Women, helping them reach the 2016/17 UEFA Women's Champions League semi-finals and lifting the FA Women's Cup at Wembley Stadium for the first time in front of 35,000 fans. Upon her return to the NWSL with the Houston in June, Lloyd has been a part of a Dash team that went on a six-game unbeaten streak that has the Dash closing in on playoff contention.

Here is the full shortlist of the 10 nominated players:

Lucy Bronze - England, Manchester City
Deyna Castellanos - Venezuela, Santa Clarita Blue Heat
Pernille Harder - Denmark, Linkopings / VfL Wolfsburg
Sam Kerr - AustraliaPerth Glory / Sky Blue FC
Carli Lloyd - USA, Houston Dash / Manchester City
Dzsenifer Marozsan - Germany, Olympique Lyonnais
Lieke Martens - Netherlands, FC Barcelona
Vivianne Miedema - Netherlands, Arsenal
Wendie Renard - France, Olympique Lyonnais
Jodie Taylor - England, Arsenal

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