Alexia Putellas has been crowned the Best FIFA Women's Player, denying England's female representatives a clean sweep at Monday's ceremony.

Sarina Wiegman and Mary Earps had earlier been crowned the Best FIFA Women's Coach and the Best FIFA Women's Goalkeeper respectively following England's Euro 2022 success on home soil last year.

But Beth Mead, the Euro 2022 Player of the Tournament and Golden Boot winner, missed out to Barcelona and Spain midfielder Putellas.

Putellas, who won the Primera Division with Barcelona in 2021-22 but missed the Euros with an ACL injury, is now a two-time winner of the award after also coming out on top last year.

"If you have a dream and fight for it as hard as you can, you can achieve that dream," Putellas said upon collecting the award. "The most important thing is to enjoy yourself along the way."

San Diego Wave and United States forward Alex Morgan was the other candidate in the running to land the award.

Putellas, Mead and Morgan all appeared in the FIFPro Women's World 11, although Earps missed out to Christiane Endler.

England also had Lucy Bronze, Leah Williamson and Keira Walsh in the team.

Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema have been shortlisted for the FIFA Best Men's Player Award.

Messi led Argentina to glory at last year's World Cup, scoring seven times, including twice in the final, and laying on three assists.

That ended a 36-year wait for a third world title for Argentina, while for many his performances in Qatar cemented Messi as the greatest of all time.

Argentina overcame France on penalties in the showdown at Lusail Stadium on December 18, though it was not for the want of trying from Mbappe, who scored a hat-trick in a thrilling 3-3 draw, and like his Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Messi also converted his spot-kick in the shoot-out.

Mbappe won the competition's Golden Boot award after netting eight goals, while he set up another two.

Between August 8, 2021 and December 18, 2022 – the time period on which this year's FIFA Best awards are based – Mbappe scored 58 goals for PSG, the highest figure of any player across Europe's top five leagues.

Third on that list is Real Madrid striker Benzema, who won last year's Ballon d'Or and makes up the final shortlist. He netted 50 times for Los Blancos, helping them win LaLiga and the Champions League, though he suffered an injury on the eve of the World Cup and had to withdraw from France's squad.

FIFA also confirmed the nominations for the Puskas Award for best goal.

Richarlison's stunning effort in Brazil's World Cup opener against Serbia has made the cut, as has an audacious half-volley from Dimitri Payet in Marseille's Europa Conference League clash with PAOK last April.

Marcin Oleksy, meanwhile, scored a sublime overhead kick for Warta Poznan amputee football against Stal Rzeszow, and the Pole joins Richarlison and Payet on the final shortlist.

The Best Women's Player Award will also be handed out at the FIFA ceremony on February 27.

Beth Mead was crucial in England's success at the Women's Euros last year, winning the Golden Boot and being named as Player of the Tournament.

Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas missed the tournament through injury but the Barcelona star makes the list, along with Alex Morgan.

Two of the favourites for the Women's Champions League will face each other in the quarter-finals as holders Lyon were drawn against Chelsea.

The 2021-22 runners-up Barcelona will take on Roma in the last eight, while Paris Saint-Germain play Wolfsburg and Bayern Munich come up against Arsenal.

The first legs are scheduled for March 21 and 22, with the return fixtures a week later.

The semi-final draw was also made on Friday, with the winners of PSG and Wolfsburg set to face the winners of Bayern and Arsenal, while the winners of Lyon and Chelsea will go up against the winners of Barca and Roma.

Eindhoven will host the final on June 3.

Barcelona extended their winning run in Liga F to 50 games after a 7-0 thrashing of Levante Las Planas on Wednesday.

A hat-trick for Asisat Oshoala guided the hosts to a resounding rout at Estadio Johan Cruyff, with a brace for Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic as well.

Goals from 16-year-old Vicky Lopez and Mariona Caldentey completed the scoring, with the former recording her first for the club.

Their victorious streak in the league stretches all the way back to June 2021, having last lost to Atletico Madrid.

Barca's only three defeats in any competition in that time all came in Europe.

They may not be able to challenge for a clean sweep this season though, having been expelled from the Copa de la Reina on Tuesday for fielding an ineligible player, though the club intends to appeal the decision.

Barcelona have promised to "take every possible action" to overturn the decision to turf their women's team out of the Copa de la Reina.

The Catalans have won the Spanish league and cup double for the last three seasons, but it emerged they fielded an ineligible player when beating Osasuna 9-0 at the last-16 stage of this season's cup competition.

Osasuna were overpowered on January 10 but have been declared winners of the tie on a technicality, with Barcelona striker Geyse having played and scored when she should have been serving a suspension.

Brazilian Geyse was sent off in her previous match in the competition, playing for Madrid CFF against eventual finalists Sporting Huelva in last season's quarter-finals.

Barcelona believe there are grounds for the ruling to be successfully challenged, with ESPN reporting the club are adamant Geyse was not listed on pre-match lists of disciplinary disqualifications issued by cup organisers the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).

In a statement issued after Tuesday's expulsion, the Camp Nou giants said: "FC Barcelona announces that the club is to continue to fight for the women's team's rights after they were sanctioned by the competition committee for fielding an ineligible line-up, with an appeal to be presented in due course.

"Should the sanction not be revoked on appeal, FC Barcelona will take every possible action, as it is considered that the line-up ended up being deemed ineligible due to technicalities in this case."

Barcelona, who beat Real Sociedad 3-0 in the Supercopa on Sunday, appear well on course to claim the Spanish league title for a fourth season in a row after winning 14 consecutive games in the competition since the start of the season.

Barcelona have also been fined €1,001 by the RFEF over the ineligibility episode, while Sevilla have been thrown out of this season's cup, too, after Nagore Calderon played in a 1-0 win against Villarreal, when she too had a suspension hanging over her from last season.

Sevilla said they presented arguments against such a punishment but will not appeal any further.

Barcelona have seen hopes of a women's league and cup double scuppered after it emerged they fielded an ineligible player against Osasuna in the Copa de la Reina.

Osasuna lost the last-16 match 9-0 on January 10 but have been declared winners of the tie on a technicality, with Barcelona striker Geyse having played and scored when she should have been serving a suspension.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Osasuna said: "The Royal Spanish Football Federation [RFEF] has favourably resolved the claim made by the Osasuna Women's Foundation in relation to the improper team selection committed by Barcelona Football Club in the round-of-16 match of the Copa de la Reina played on January 10 in El Sadar.

"The disciplinary judge has decided 'to give FC Barcelona the game as lost and to consider the tie resolved in favour of CDF Osasuna Femenino'.

"It is possible to file an appeal to the appeals committee against the resolution published this morning by the federal body."

Barcelona, who beat Real Sociedad 3-0 in the Supercopa on Sunday, appear well on course to claim the Spanish league title for a fourth season in a row after winning 14 consecutive games in the competition since the start of the season.

They were defending the Copa de la Reina they won by beating Sporting Huelva 6-1 in last year's final, and reports have said Barcelona, who have also been fined €1,001 by the RFEF, plan to appeal against their expulsion.

Brazilian player Geyse was sent off in her previous match in the competition, playing for Madrid CFF against Sporting in last season's quarter-finals.

Sevilla have also been expelled from this season's cup after Nagore Calderon played in a 1-0 win against Villarreal, when she too had a suspension hanging over her from last season.

Frida Maanum scored a hat-trick as Arsenal stormed through to the Women's Champions League quarter-finals as Group C winners with a resounding 9-1 rout of Zurich.

Jonas Eidevall's side were already assured of a place in the knockout stages, but ran riot nevertheless at Wefox Arena to ensure they would be seeded in the last eight.

Along with Maanum's treble, Caitlin Foord and Stina Blackstenius both scored a brace, while further strikes from Kim Little and Mana Iwabuchi completed the scoring.

"We scored some really good goals, and I'm happy to have got my hat-trick," Maanum told UEFA.com. "It's easier when you're surrounded by really good players. This is a nice early Christmas present, for sure!"

Arsenal were joined in the quarter-finals by Lyon, who are through to the last eight for the 14th time in 16 seasons after snatching second place in Group C with a goalless draw against Juventus.

Elsewhere, Barcelona ensured they advanced to the knockout stages as Group D winners following a thumping 6-0 victory over Rosengard.

Though already guaranteed progression beyond the group phase, Barca were in no forgiving mood as Asisat Oshoala scored twice with Mapi Leon, Fridolina Rolfo, Marta Torrejon and Irene Paredes also on target.

That took their goal tally to 29 - the highest in any Women's Champions League group stage - and meant Bayern Munich had to settle for second place despite Klara Buhl's double in a 2-0 win over Benfica.

Arsenal secured a place in the quarter-finals of the Women's Champions League despite a 1-0 defeat to Lyon on Thursday, in a game overshadowed by Vivianne Miedema suffering a potentially serious knee injury.

Gunners defender Frida Maanum put through her own net on the stroke of half-time to hand the reigning champions victory at the Emirates Stadium, leaving both sides on 10 points in Group C.

Jonas Eidevall's team knew they would qualify with anything less than a four-goal loss after establishing a head-to-head advantage by hammering Lyon 5-1 away from home in October.

However, the sight of a distressed Miedema leaving the field on a stretcher after appearing to catch her studs in the turf will provide cause for concern.

Miedema – the Champions League's top goalscorer in the 2016-17 and 2019-20 campaigns – has hit the net twice in the competition this season.

In Group C's other fixture, a four-goal haul from Cristiana Girelli helped Juventus profit from Irina Pando's red card in a 5-0 win over Zurich, teeing up a winner-take-all meeting with Lyon next week.

Meanwhile, Barcelona and Bayern Munich both ensured qualification from Group D, with the Spanish champions doing so in emphatic fashion with a 6-2 rout of Benfica.

Bayern joined them in racking up the goals with a 4-0 win at Rosengard, as Georgia Stanway joined Tainara, Sydney Lohmann and Julia Landenberger on the scoresheet.

Arsenal moved closer to the Women's Champions League quarter-finals after edging Juventus in north London, while Bayern Munich trumped Barcelona in impressive fashion.

The Women's Super League outfit preserved their unbeaten record in Group C through Vivianne Miedema's lone finish, to take a 1-0 win over the Italian giants and cement their hold on the pool.

Defeat for Joe Montemurro's side means reigning champions Lyon have vaulted them into second place after another comfortably victory over Zurich.

Melvine Malard's double was sandwiched by goals for Lindsey Horan and Delphine Cascarino in a 4-0 win, to inject further life into a campaign that saw them go winless over their first two matches.

Last season's beaten finalists Barca were meanwhile handed a first loss of the tournament, as Bayern claimed revenge for their prior loss with a 3-1 triumph.

Both sides now sit atop Group D with nine points, three ahead of third-placed Benfica, who kept pace with a 3-1 win of their own over Rosengard.

Barcelona seized control of Group D in the Women's Champions League by thrashing Bayern Munich 3-0 in front of a crowd of 46,967 – a new group-stage record.

Second-half goals from Geyse, Aitana Bonmati and Claudia Pina helped Jonatan Giraldez's team maintain their perfect record in the competition on Thursday, as well as ending that of Bayern.

The Camp Nou crowd – which surpassed the competition's previous group-stage record of 18,341 by a considerable margin – had to remain patient for the opener, but the Blaugrana were good value for their win after Brazil international Geyse broke the deadlock.

The result moved Barca three points clear of their opponents as well as maintaining their six-point advantage over Benfica, who beat Rosengard 1-0 courtesy of Cloe Lacasse's goal.

Meanwhile, Arsenal maintained their narrow lead at the top of Group C with a 1-1 draw against Juventus, who remain two points behind the Gunners after surrendering a second-half lead.

Lineth Beerensteyn put the hosts ahead shortly after the break, but fellow Netherlands international Vivianne Miedema nodded home from a corner nine minutes later to keep the visitors top.

Reigning champions Lyon also remain in fierce contention for a quarter-final spot after cruising to a 3-0 win at Zurich, moving them to within a point of second-placed Juve.

Signe Bruun added two goals after Melvine Malard headed in an early opener, helping the eight-time champions to their first Champions League win of the season.

Lyon remain winless in their Women's Champions League defence after a 1-1 draw with Juventus, while Bayern Munich came from two goals down to defeat Benfica in injury time.

The French outfit seized a first-half lead through Lindsey Horan in Turin, before Melvine Malard's own goal seven minutes after the interval handed the hosts a share of the spoils.

After defeat to Arsenal in their opener, it leaves Sonia Bompastor's side on the outside in Group C after two matchweeks, and facing a tough road to the knockouts.

But there was more drama to be had in Group D, where Georgia Stanway's late double helped secure a remarkable turnaround for Bayern in a 3-2 comeback.

Having trailed heading into the final stages, the England international struck initially to level matters before sealing their resurgence victory with a 98th-minute finish.

Last season's finalists Barcelona joined them in preserving a perfect record, after braces for Aitana Bonmati and Mariona Caldentey saw them ease to a 4-1 victory against Rosengard.

Arsenal meanwhile cemented their hold on Group C with a 3-1 win over Zurich, aided by Lina Hurtig's double for Jonas Eidevall's side.

Women's Champions League holders Lyon were humbled by Arsenal as this season's competition began on Wednesday, while Barcelona won by an even greater margin in their opener.

The English side beat their hosts 5-1 at the Groupama Stadium, with Caitlin Foord and Frida Maanum handing Arsenal a 2-0 lead before Melvine Malard halved the deficit.

Foord scored again in between two goals from Ballon d'Or runner-up Beth Mead to give Jonas Eidevall's side an impressive opening victory in Group C.

Barca romped to a 9-0 success against Benfica in Group D thanks to seven different goalscorers.

Asisat Oshoala and Geyse scored two each, while goals also arrived from Patri Guijarro, Aitana Bonmati, Mariona Caldentey, Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic and Claudia Pina as last season's runners-up strolled to victory.

The other game in Group D saw Bayern Munich earn a tougher three points at home to Rosengard after Loreta Kullashi's opener for the visitors was cancelled out by Carolin Simon, before Linda Dallmann struck a second-half winner for the Germans.

Group C's other contest ended with Juventus claiming a 2-0 win at FC Zurich, with late goals from Valentina Cernoia and Barbara Bonansea earning Joe Montemurro's side three points.

Alexia Putellas pipped Beth Mead to the Ballon d'Or, and now the Women's Champions League is set to begin in earnest as the group stage gets under way.

This has already been a spectacular year for the women's game in Europe, with Euro 2022 a roaring success, but the club game is going from strength to strength, too.

The continent's biggest clubs are throwing their support behind women's teams, and although this means some early adopters are being squeezed out, the Champions League is growing in quality and professionalism year by year. This is the second year that has featured a group stage, another sign of progress.

Here, Stats Perform looks at the 2022-23 tournament and its rich promise, with 16 teams vying to reach the final at Philips Stadion in Eindhoven in June.

Before the rise of the Lionesses, there was Lyon... and they are the UWCL queens

French club Lyon have set a high bar with their support and investment in women's football, led by owner Jean-Michel Aulas.

Their first Champions League title came in 2010-11, and last season they landed the trophy for an eighth time with a 3-1 triumph against Barcelona in Turin.

Barcelona headed into that May showpiece in imperious form, but Lyon led 3-0 inside 33 minutes. Putellas pulled one goal back, but it was not to be her day, or Barcelona's.

Instead, Lyon were celebrating, and perhaps nobody more so than Ada Hegerberg, their star Norwegian striker. Battling her way back to full fitness after a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament kept her sidelined for over 18 months, Hegerberg had a goal and an assist in the final.

"I couldn't imagine winning the Champions League a year ago," Hegerberg said that night. "Coming back from injury and getting back to this level is extremely inspiring and I am very grateful."

Now Putellas faces a similar journey. The Barcelona and Spain star, recognised as the world's best player, sustained a major ACL injury on the eve of Euro 2022, and if she plays again this season it will not be until the closing weeks.

Contenders queueing up

Expect Lyon to be strong again of course, but they start with a major test against Arsenal, who have Euro 2022 Golden Ball winner and Ballon d'Or runner-up Beth Mead in their ranks.

Arsenal, of course, have a power couple on and off the pitch in Mead and the brilliant Vivianne Miedema, so Jonas Eidevall's side could push Lyon for top spot in Group C, which also includes Juventus and Zurich.

Of course, such star players may see this competition as a chance to stake a claim for next year's Ballon d'Or.

Barcelona are much changed from last season, with the likes of Jenni Hermoso, Lieke Martens and Melanie Serrano no longer a part of their team. Hermoso and Martens moved on, to Pachuca and Paris Saint-Germain respectively, while Serrano retired at the age of 32, having been a first-team regular since her late teens.

Brazil striker Geyse has joined from Madrid CFF, while Euro 2022 winners Lucy Bronze and Keira Walsh arrived from Manchester City. The loss of Putellas is a big blow, and how Barcelona cope without her against Europe's elite will be a key narrative of the coming months. Bayern Munich, Rosenborg and Benfica are their Group D rivals.

Chelsea were runners-up in 2020-21 but last season saw Emma Hayes' team eliminated on goal difference at the group stage, after they and top two Wolfsburg and Juventus finished tied on 11 points. Hayes is taking time away after undergoing an emergency hysterectomy. The Blues, who have Sam Kerr, Fran Kirby, Millie Bright and Pernille Harder among a star-packed squad, face Real Madrid, PSG and Vllaznia in Group A.

Wolfsburg are hardy perennials of the Women's Champions League and won the trophy back to back in 2012-13 and 2013-14, also finishing runners-up three times. They face Slavia Prague, St Polten and Roma in Group B. With Alexandra Popp fighting fit after the injury that prevented her facing England in the Euro 2022 final, and Lena Oberdorf patrolling midfield, Wolfsburg may not be far away again this season.

Story so far

Manchester City and Real Madrid went head-to-head early in the qualifying stage, and it was City that were squeezed out, losing 1-0 thanks to a goal from Caroline Weir, a player who left the English club to move to the Spanish capital just weeks earlier.

Hopes of a Dutch team reaching the Eindhoven final have already been dashed, with Ajax and Twente eliminated in the preliminaries. Arsenal edged out Ajax 3-2 on aggregate, with Miedema getting the deciding goal, while Twente were ousted by Benfica.

The make-up of this competition has changed immensely over the course of the last 20 years, reflecting the rise of teams being backed by traditionally strong men's clubs.

In 2002-03, the quarter-final line-up consisted of Umea, Toulouse, HJK, Frankfurt, SK Trondheims-Orn, Fortuna Hjorring, CSK VVS Samara and Arsenal.

Swedish side Umea crushed Fortuna Hjorring 7-1 on aggregate in a two-leg final of what was then known as the UEFA Women's Cup.

In name and character, it emphatically belongs to the Champions League family of competitions now, many of the teams that defined its early days no longer a factor. Women's football has gone big-time, and this season's competition should underline that message.

Barcelona and Spain midfielder Alexia Putellas took home a second straight Ballon d'Or Feminin award on Monday to become the first two-time winner.

Putellas was recognised in 2021 after winning the Champions League with Barca, before returning to the final this year.

The Blaugrana this time came up short, losing to Lyon, but Putellas finished as the competition's top scorer and Player of the Season.

She was then denied the opportunity to feature at the Women's Euro 2022 after tearing her anterior cruciate ligament on the eve of the finals.

Despite missing the tournament, while three of her four fellow Ballon d'Or finalists featured, Putellas was named the world's best player by France Football again in Paris.

Beth Mead, who inspired England's Euros triumph, finished second, but Putellas was a popular winner and gave an emotional speech as she reflected on a tough period in her career.

"Thanks to France Football and the members of the jury," she said. "On April 5, I broke my knee and I believed that this [winning the Ballon d'Or] would not be possible, because I believed that the most recent European Championship would be remembered.

"My most sincere congratulations to the English FA for the organisation they had for the European Championship and how they are having that impact on women's football in that country. They are an example of how they are doing it.

"I hope that the next time I have to speak, it will be on the pitch again, and I hope that we will see each other again there."

Jorge Vilda insisted he has no plans to resign as head coach of the Spain women's team after a player rebellion forced him to name a massively under-strength squad on Friday.

The besieged boss left captain Irene Paredes and record scorer Jenni Hermoso out of his group for high-profile friendlies against Sweden and the United States, while 15 others last week wrote to the Spanish federation – the RFEF – to say they were unwilling to play for Vilda.

At the time, the group of players said by email the decision was taken for the sake of their "emotional state".

Vilda spoke at length about the crisis in a press conference, shortly after revealing his weakened squad list for the October 7 game against Sweden, and the USA match, which takes place four days later.

The reasoning behind the players' stance has yet to be crystallised. Vilda may by now have some sense of their concerns, after admitting he was initially "confused", but he would not detail any recent discussions.

His view is that he should be allowed to continue in his role, and when asked if he had at any stage considered quitting, his answer was unequivocal.

"At no time," he said. "Because of the unfairness and because of everything we have created in the past. Because of the energy and strength that I have to continue."

He urged the players who have opposed playing for him to front up, saying: "I would like them to say face to face why they have made that decision and why they disagree."

Vilda declined to speak about Hermoso and Paredes, saying he preferred to discuss the players he had selected. Hermoso came out in support of the rebels on Wednesday, while Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas, who is currently injured, has also backed the disenchanted players' stance.

Defender Paredes and playmaker Putellas are Barcelona players, while striker Hermoso is with Mexican club Pachuca.

Vilda would not say whether he had spoken to the rebel players but said he was always available to talk.

"It is clear that it is a complicated and difficult situation to deal with," he said. "I am suffering more for my family and they are more affected. I think it would be unfair to remove myself from the centre and it would not be the right thing to do."

He appealed for "time and respect" for the players he has summoned, who included teenage Barcelona forward Salma Paralluelo.

Shortly before the squad list was released, Barcelona announced Paralluelo had a thigh problem.

Vilda said: "If that injury is confirmed, everything will go through the official channels of the national team. The club informs our medical services and the doctor tells me."

Ana Alvarez, director of women's football at the RFEF, said last week that Vilda's position was "unquestionable". He has an agreement to remain as coach until 2024, and his team have qualified for next year's World Cup.