Three of the four winners since the Ballon d’Or was expanded to reward female footballers in 2018 are in the running again: Bonmati (2023), her Spanish teammate Alexia Putellas (2021, 2022) and Norwegian Ada Hegerberg (2018).

Five of the United States’ Olympic gold medalists are also nominated: Trinity Rodman, Mallory Swanson, Lindsey Horan, Sophia Smith and Alyssa Naeher.

Ballage: “Aitana Bonmati controls the game, has goals, assists, personality. She is growing wonderfully with a team that has taken women’s football to a new dimension.

“She has the high standards that any midfielder should aspire to, but, as the Ballon d’Or is not just about football, she also represents the club and national team very well.

“She is a reference for the children in the stands and for the children in the game. She is a great representative of football.”

Former England midfielder Fara Williams: “I would love to see Lindsey Horan in the top five, but my favorite would be Bonmati. It’s his IQ – his understanding of the game is among the best.

“She controls Barcelona’s midfield, she really gets them going. Not only does she control it, but she adds goals and assists to her game. When you are a midfielder and you have those attributes, you are really the key.”

Bay FC defender Jen Beattie: “I’m picking Trinity Rodman. She had an incredible season. What she did in the Olympics was incredible.

“She is the perfect combination of pace and technical ability. The speed she achieves on the court is incredible.

“She really deserves it. What she has done for club and country is what puts you in the running for the Ballon d’Or. She has done it at every level.”

Former England striker Ellen White: “Trinity Rodman could win it, or Sophia Smith or Aitana Bonmati.

“But I want to salute Barbra Banda. She had an incredible Olympics, with successive hat-tricks. She is the second highest scorer in the NWSL with 13 goals in 20 matches.”