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Beth Mead, Lena Oberdorf and Alexia Putellas have been announced as the final three contenders in the running to win the 2022 UEFA Women’s Player of the Year accolade.
The trio had been named on the initial shortlist of 22 players, which has now been whittled down to just three names ahead of next week’s award ceremony in Istanbul.
Arsenal attacker Mead is rewarded for an impressive showing at the Women’s Euros, where she was crowned Player of the Tournament after leading the scoring charts in England’s triumph on home soil.
Oberdorf won the Young Player of the Tournament award after helping Germany to another final, having also played a crucial role in Wolfsburg winning the domestic double last season.
Spain star Putellas was absent from the tournament through injury, but the 2021 Ballon d’Or Feminin winner enjoyed the most prolific season of her club career thanks to 34 goals in Barcelona’s clean sweep of Spanish trophies in 2021-22.
Wolfsburg and Germany striker Alex Popp narrowly missed out on the top three, while Aitana Bonmati of Barcelona and Spain finished fifth in the voting.
UEFA also announced the Women’s Coach of the Year nominees on Wednesday, with England coach Sarina Wiegman joined by Sonia Bompastor and Martina Voss-Tecklenburg of Lyon and Germany respectively.
