Canada's Stephanie Labbe misses out on Best FIFA Goalkeeper Award
Chile's Christiane Endler was named The Best FIFA Women's Goalkeeper on Monday, beating out Canada's Stephanie Labbe and Germany's Ann-Katrin Berger.
Endler, the first South American to win the award, played for Paris Saint-Germain before transferring to Olympique Lyonnais. She helped PSG win the French title, conceding just four goals along the way.
Labbe was with Sweden's FC Rosengard before switchng to PSG in late August. The 35-year-old from Stony Plain, Alta., has won 85 caps for Canada with 43 clean sheets, helping Canada to Olympic gold last summer in Tokyo
A rib injury forced Labbe out of Canada's opening game against host Japan at the Olympics. Ultimately the verdict was she could continue playing, albeit in pain. Labbe missed just one game, returning to lead Canada to penalty shootout wins over Brazil in the quarterfinal and Sweden in the final.
Berger and the Chelsea women, whose roster includes Canadian international Jessie Fleming, won the domestic treble in 2021 - the FA Women's Super League title, FA Cup and League Cup. The Blue lost 4-0 to Barcelona in the Champions League final.
Sweden's Hedvig Lindahl (Atletico de Madrid Femenino) and American Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars) were also nominated but did not make the final three.
Senegal's Edouard Mendy (Chelsea) was named The Best FIFA Men's Goalkeeper over Italy's Gianluigi Donnarumma (AC Milan/Paris Saint-Germain), and Germany's Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich).
Brazil's Alisson Becker (Liverpool) and Denmark's Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City) had also been shortlisted for the award.
Two other Canadians - Bev Priestman (Best Coach) and Christine Sinclair (Best Women's Player) - were nominated for FIFA Awards in November but did not make the final three list.
Chelsea's Emma Hayes was named top women's coach.
Sinclair did receive a lifetime achievement award - The Best FIFA Special Award for Women's Football.
The winners were decided by an international jury comprising national team coaches and captains around the globe, one specialist journalist from each territory represented by a national team, and fans via an online poll on FIFA.com.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 17, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.