The FIFA Ballon d'Or 2015 was held in Zurich, Switzerland on Monday 11 January, and Lionel MESSI (Argentina) earned the FIFA Ballon d'Or award (the best player of the year).

Coach SASAKI and MIYAMA from Nadeshiko Japan (Japan Women's National Team), who finished second in the FIFA Women's World Cup 2015 in Canada, were nominated for the FIFA Women’s World Coach of the Year and FIFA Women's World Player of the Year respectively. They attended the ceremony, but unfortunately did not collect any awards.

Nadeshiko Japan will participate in the FIFA Women's Olympic Football Tournament Rio 2016 Asian Qualifiers Final Round in Osaka from Friday 29 February, aiming to book one of two places at the Olympics.

FIFA Ballon d'Or

Lionel MESSI (Argentina/FC Barcelona)

FIFA Women's World Player of the Year

Carli LLOYD (USA/Houston Dash)

FIFA World Coach of the Year (Men's)

LUIS ENRIQUE, Coach (Spain/FC Barcelona)

FIFA World Coach of the Year (Women's)

Jill ELLIS, Coach (USA/USA Women's National Team)

FIFA Puskas Award

Lira WENDELL (Brazil)

FIFA FIFPro World XI

Manuel NEUER (Germany)
THIAGO SILVA (Brazil)
MARCELO (Brazil)
Sergio RAMOS (Spain)
DANI ALVES (Brazil)
Andres INIESTA (Spain)
Luka MODRIC (Croatia)
Paul POGBA (France)
Lionel MESSI (Argentina)
NEYMAR (Brazil)
CRISTIANO RONALDO (Portugal)

FIFA Fair Play Award

All football organisations supporting refugees

Comments

SASAKI Norio, Coach of Nadeshiko Japan (Japan Women's National Team)
I’m honoured to be here. It’s all thanks to the players and the staff. We have reached the final in three consecutive international championships, and one of our players has been nominated for the FIFA Women's World Player of the Year. I believe that it shows the potential of Japanese women’s football.

Just as we didn’t win any awards this time, we have been frustrated recently since the final of the World Cup. We’d like to humbly accept these results, so that we can have a fresh start. Firstly, I do hope we will book a place at the Olympics through the final qualifiers to challenge internationally once again. We’ll get in shape and improve the quality of the team in the training camp, which will start on 18 January.

MIYAMA Aya (Nadeshiko Japan/Okayama Yunogo Belle)
Although I’m honoured to be here, I feel more comfortable spending time with my teammates, if I’m honest. What pleases me most is that Japan is acknowledged to be invincible by all the other countries, rather than simply acknowledging me as an individual.

It’d be ideal if we get the Best Eleven award for women’s football in the future and if many Japanese players are nominated. We had a regrettable result in the FIFA Women's World Cup last year. So we’d like to play as a united team once again in the coming Olympic qualifiers in Osaka from February, so that we can win the gold medal at the Olympics.