Alexia Putellas in final three for FIFA The Best 2022 Award

Despite not having yet returned from serious injury, there is good news for Alexia Putellas. The Barça Women player is among the three candidates for the 2022 FIFA The Best award and therefore has the chance to become the first repeat winner if she can pip the other two candidates, Arsenal and England star Beth Mead and San Diego Wave and US international Alex Morgan, to the prize. 

Alexia's credentials 

The blaugrana led Barça Women to the final of the Champions League in 2022 and ended the competition as top scorer with 11 goals. Currently, she is still recovering from the serious injury she picked up last summer with the national side. However, her absence has not prevented her being named Ballon d'Or for the second year in a row last October. 

Rivals: Beth Mead, Euro 2022 star

Also in the frame for the FIFA award is Beth Mead, the star of last summer's European Championships. With Alexia absent due to injury, the Arsenal winger took centre stage and top scored with six goals in the competition, helping England to victory for the first time in the competition and also taking the honour of being named player of the tournament. Unfortunately for Arsenal fans, Mead picked up a serious injury in similar to fashion to Alexia back in November and also finds herself currently on the road back to full fitness. 

Alex Morgan's scoring touch 

US international Alex Morgan's consistency was key in 2022. The striker scored 15 goals in 17 league games for San Diego Wave in the US league and also was named player of the tournament as she helped the USA to a third consecutive CONCACAF title. 

Barça Women payer Aitana Bonmatí was named in the long list of 14 for the award but failed to make the cut to the final three.