STATE COLLEGE —- Alyssa Naeher placed No. 17 in the final Ballon d’Or rankings, France Football announced on Monday, Oct. 27.
The Ballon d’Or is an annual award that recognizes the best soccer players in the world. The award is organized and given out by the French magazine, France Football.
The top 30 players in the world are nominated in early October before they are ranked one through 30 on the day of the award ceremony.
Naeher played for the Nittany Lions from 2006 to 2009 as one of the country’s premier shot stoppers.
During her time in Happy Valley, she was named First Team All-Big Ten in 2007 and 2008, along with Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 2007.
In her 74 games for the Nittany Lions she recorded 24 shutouts with 301 saves. Of those 74, Naeher helped Penn State win 50.
Now playing professionally, the Chicago Red Star helped lead the United States Women’s National Team to a gold medal in the 2024 Summer Olympics.
The keeper recorded four shutouts in the tournament, passing Hope Solo’s record for any USWNT goalkeeper in a single Olympic games. This included a seven save performance against Germany in the semifinal that included a world class save in the dying minutes.
Naeher is the owner of an Olympics gold and bronze medal, and two World Cup gold medals.
This season for the Red Stars Naeher is averaging 1.37 goals per 90 minutes and has 77 saves. She has only let in 31 balls in 23 games. The Red Stars sit sixth in the National Women’s Soccer League standings and will begin playoffs next week.
Naeher joined fellow USWNT players Sophia Smith, Lindsey Horan, Mallory Swanson and Trinity Rodman in the top 20.
