Beth Mead, Keira Walsh and Leah Williamson after Lionesses success

Beth Mead, Keira Walsh and Leah Williamson are all in the running for FIFA’s ‘The Best’ Women’s Player of the Year award.

They have been named on a 14-player shortlist which includes a host of stars from the English Women’s Super League.

Mead, Walsh and Williamson all starred as England won the European Championship last year.

Keira Walsh (left) and Lionesses’ Euro 2022 captain Leah Williamson are also nominated

Arsenal striker Mead will be among the frontrunners after she clinched both the golden boot and player of the tournament at Euro 2022 with six goals and five assists.

Since the Euros she has finished second in the Ballon d’Or award, while winning the BBC Sports Personality of the Year last month. 

Barcelona star Walsh was another one of England’s starring performers and it was her cross that assisted Ella Toone’s opener in a 2-1 victory for the Lionesses over Germany in extra time in the final.

Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas missed the Euros but has made the 14-player shortlist

Mead and her Arsenal team-mate and partner Vivianne Miedema are both in the running

Arsenal’s Williamson became the first England captain since Bobby Moore at the 1966 World Cup to lift a major trophy. 

One of the favourites to win the award will be Alexia Putellas, who also clinched the prize last year.

She helped Barcelona win a clean sweep of domestic trophies during the 2021-22 season but missed the Euros for Spain due to an ACL tear. 

In total there are five players from the WSL who have been shortlisted including Mead and her partner and team-mate Vivianne Miedema, Williamson and Chelsea pair Jessie Fleming and Sam Kerr.

Others also nominated include Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati, free-agent Debinha, who left North Carolina Courage last month, Lyon duo Ada Hegerberg and Wendie Renard, Alex Morgan of San Diego Wave and Wolfsburg pair Lena Oberdorf and Alexandra Popp.