Lucy Bronze has been nominated for the Ballon d'Or.
The prize is arguably the most prestigious individual honour a footballer can be awarded. It is decided by votes from football writers as well as national team captains and managers.
Bronze , a defender who grew up in Northumberland and attended Alnwick's Duchess's Community High School, missed out on the FIFA Best Women's Player prize earlier this year, which was won by US Women's National Team and 2019 World Cup winner, Megan Rapinoe.
Rapinoe is also shortlisted for the Ballon d'Or, as are five of Bronze's Lyon clubmates: Ada Hegerberg, who won last year's Ballon d'Or, Amandine Henry, Sarah Bouhaddi, Dzsenifer Marozsan and Wendie Renard.
Manchester City and England's Ellen White and Arsenal's Vivianne Miedema also made the top 20, as did Brazil star Marta.
Bronze, 27, was described as the best player in the world by her national team manager, Phil Neville, during the World Cup as England made their way to the semi-final, where they narrowly lost to the USA. She claimed her second consecutive Champions League with Lyon, beating Barcelona in May.
A proud Bronze tweeted upon being nominated for the award, which will be presented in Paris in December.
She wrote: "A real honour to have been nominated for this year #ballondor.
"So many great players nominated, with so many great achievements this year! 2018-2019, what a season."
Bronze would be the second Northumbrian to win a Ballon d'Or. Bobby Charlton, from Ashington , won the men's award after winning the World Cup with England in 1966. The women's prize was first awarded last year.
