CSKA Moscow’s Cameroonian striker Gabrielle Onguene made the women’s FIFA FIFPRO World XI shortlist, which was announced on Wednesday, but there was no place for Super Falcons captain Asisat Oshoala, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Four-time African Women’s Player of The Year Oshoala was Barcelona’s leading scorer this season with 12 goals in 12 appearances, and the top scorer in the Spanish League with 11 goals in nine games before her injury.
The 26-year-old is also the first African winner of the European Women’s Champions League.
In the shortlist, Oshoala’s Barcelona teammates Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas were listed. Chelsea ladies had five players in the World XI shortlist.
Ann-Katrin Berger, Millie Bright, Sam Kerr, Pernille Harder and captain Magdalena Eriksson were all included after the Blues’ first appearance in the Women’s Champions League final.
Manchester City’s Lucy Bronze – the current holder of the Best FIFA Women’s Player award – was also shortlisted. Arsenal forward Vivianne Miedema completes the list of nominated players in the Women’s Super League this season.
The women’s World XI will also be announced during the Best FIFA Football Awards ceremony next month.
Other players on the Women’s World XI shortlist are Bayern Munich’s Laura Benkarth, PSG’s Christiane Endler, Lyon’s quartet Ellie Carpenter, Wendie Renard, Delphine Cascarino and Kadeisha Buchanan, Barbara Bonansea from Juventus, Orlando Pride’s Marta, Alex Morgan of Tottenham, Megan Rapinoe of OL Reign, Levante’s Estefania Banini and Carli Lloyd, who is retired.
Meanwhile, Oshoala faces a race to be fit for Nigeria’s tricky 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifying play-offs against Ivory Coast in February.
She ruptured her posterior cruciate ligament in her right knee in Barcelona’s 4-0 win over Hoffenheim.
SOURCE : Punch
