Trinity Rodman attends Ballon d’Or ceremony, finishes in 18th for prestigious award

Featuring professional athletes in formal wear!

Washington Spirit phenom Trinity Rodman was celebrated among some of the most talented soccer players in the world at today’s Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris, ultimately finishing in 18th for the Ballon d’Or out of a slate of 20 female players.

“I can’t even believe I was nominated for this,” Rodman said in a red carpet interview before the ceremony, before praising her fellow nominees. “I respect all these players so much, and it’s incredible to be here.”

At the ceremony, Rodman impressed in a floor-length blue backless dress and simple hairstyle, proving (once again, for those who remember her ESPYS appearance) that she knows how to work a red carpet.

Spirit teammates Ashley Sanchez and Aubrey Kingsbury and team owner Y. Michelle Kang also attended, giving us the opportunity to enjoy even more of our Spirits outside of their natural habitat.

The Ballon d’Or Féminin is the most prestigious award in women’s soccer, honoring the best player of each European football season. It is awarded by French magazine France Football, which creates the shortlist of nominees. Announced in August, Rodman’s nomination reflected her dazzling performance in the run-up to the Spirit’s 2021 NWSL Championship win and her first games with the U.S. Women’s National Team, as well as the 2022 Challenge Cup and part of the 2022 NWSL season.

Representatives of the top 50 countries in FIFA rankings vote on the shortlist of nominees to determine the winner and final ranking. This year’s Ballon d’Or Féminin went to Barcelona’s Alexia Putellas for the second year in a row. Americans Catarina Macario and Alex Morgan finished 9th and 13th, respectively.