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The U.S. women's national team has produced some of the greatest players in the history of the sport, yet only one American—Megan Rapinoe—has ever claimed the Ballon d'Or Féminin.
That's a striking figure, given the caliber of players and silverware that have passed through the USWNT program. The Stars and Stripes have claimed four World Cup titles and five Olympic gold medals, both all-time records in the women's game.
Icons such as Abby Wambach, Mia Hamm, Michelle Akers, Carli Lloyd and Alex Morgan have all worn the red, white and blue. Now, a new generation led by Sophia Wilson, Mallory Swanson and Trinity Rodman continues to dazzle on the world stage.
Yet when it comes to soccer's most coveted individual honor, USWNT players keep getting passed over. This year, Rose Lavelle was the sole American to receive a Ballon d'Or Féminin nomination, ultimately finishing 27th in the final standings.
A number of factors explain this ongoing trend—one the Stars and Stripes will be eager to reverse after next summer's World Cup.
History Worked Against the USWNT
American greats like Wambach and Hamm never had the opportunity to get their hands on the golden trophy—an award both players would almost certainly have won at some point in their careers. The Ballon d'Or Féminin wasn't introduced until 2018.
Entire generations of women went unrecognized while male players stepped up year after year to collect the Ballon d'Or, an award that dates back to 1956. By the time Ada Hegerberg made history with her landmark victory in Paris in 2018, many of America's greatest players had long since hung up their boots.
Rapinoe then became the first American—man or woman—to win a Ballon d'Or, earning the honor for her brilliant performances on the way to World Cup glory in 2019. She wasn't the first USWNT player to merit the award, but she was the first to actually receive it.
It seemed like the beginning of a new era for American players. Yet Rapinoe remains the only USWNT star to have her name written into Ballon d'Or history.
Timing Plays a Large Role
The absence of Wilson, Swanson and Rodman from the 30-player shortlist for the 2026 Ballon d'Or Féminin may have surprised many USWNT supporters. All three are undeniably among the top 30 players on the planet.
However, reputation only carries so much weight in an award judged on a single season's performances. USWNT veteran Kelley O'Hara explained precisely what held all three players back this time around.
"The Ballon d'Or is usually given to a striker," O'Hara said on CBS Sports. "Our top strikers for the U.S. women's national team, Mallory Swanson, Sophia Wilson, Trinity Rodman, they've been out, whether that's with pregnancy or injury.
"So I think that took away from the potential of having more Americans in the nominations."
Both Swanson and Wilson welcomed babies last fall, while Rodman was sidelined for a stretch last season due to a persistent back problem. Three-time Ballon d'Or Féminin winner Aitana Bonmatí knows the feeling well: prolonged absences from the pitch can completely derail any hopes of earning a nomination.
The Champions League Is Often the Ultimate Decider
Perhaps the most significant obstacle facing USWNT players in recent years is the league they play in. Those competing in the NWSL have no path to Champions League glory, which consistently carries enormous weight with voters.
Look no further than the men's award: Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo once dominated the prize, with the outcome often hinging on who had won the Champions League that year. Luka Modrić, Karim Benzema and Ousmane Dembélé also claimed the honor on the back of European triumphs.
For USWNT players competing outside of Europe's top competition, their achievements simply don't carry the same weight as those of players like Alexia Putellas, who recently claimed her third Ballon d'Or Féminin after guiding Barcelona to another Champions League title alongside three additional honors.
It's comparable to Son Heung-min winning the MLS Cup with LAFC. The former Spurs forward would almost certainly not earn a Ballon d'Or nomination, let alone challenge for the award, when measured against players dominating European football.
Even when Emma Hayes's side claimed gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the highest-ranked American in the Ballon d'Or Féminin standings was Wilson in fourth place—behind three Barcelona players fresh off yet another Champions League triumph.
But the World Cup Is the Ultimate Equalizer
The encouraging news for the USWNT is that domestic league performance matters far less in a World Cup year. If an American can shine for the Stars and Stripes this summer and help lift the trophy under Hayes, she could potentially join Rapinoe in that exclusive group of winners.
"I think there's so many points around the Ballon d'Or and how it's structured, who votes on it, the calendar, all of these things play into the fact that we usually see a European player win it, unless it's a World Cup year," O'Hara explained.
"The last time we saw an American player win the Ballon d'Or was Megan Rapinoe in 2019. And that was after an epic World Cup individually by her, but then also a win by the U.S.
"So I think if the U.S. can go into next summer and win and they have some players step up and play, you know, have moments in tournaments like Megan Rapinoe did in 2019, I think there's a lot of potential for them to be maybe lifting that trophy for the first time since Megan did."
It would be difficult to deny a USWNT player the 2027 Ballon d'Or Féminin if the Stars and Stripes secure their fifth World Cup title next summer. At the very least, far more Americans should find themselves on the 30-player shortlist.