Aitana Bonmati, a midfielder for Barcelona and Spain, is the first woman to win the Women’s Ballon d’Or.
The 25-year-old had a very great year, winning the World Cup with her country and helping her club win the Champions League and the Spanish premier division.
In August, she was also named the Player of the Year by Uefa.
Teammate Rachel Daly finished in tenth place, while England goalie Mary Earps finished in fifth.
Georgia Stanway and Millie Bright, two other Lionesses, were also nominated.
Salma Paralluelo, a teenage girl from Barcelona and Spain, came in third, followed by Sam Kerr of Chelsea and Australia and Fridolina Rolfo of Barcelona and Sweden in fourth place.
“I’m very proud to win the Ballon d’Or,” Bonmati said.
“Football is a collective sport so I’d like to extend this prize to my team-mates and staff.“
She added at the end of her speech in English: “Finally congratulations to the other nominees. They’re great footballers.
“As role models we have a responsibility on and off the pitch. We should be more than athletes and keep leading by example and fighting together for a better, peaceful and equal world.”
Spain’s World Cup win was overshadowed by the fallout from Spanish football federation president Luis Rubiales kissing Jenni Hermoso after the final, which she said was not consensual.
Bonmati scored three goals at the tournament in Australia and New Zealand as Spain went on to beat England in the final.
She has now won four league titles with Barcelona and two Champions Leagues.
This was the fifth edition of the Women’s Ballon d’Or, with Bonmati’s Spain and Barcelona team-mate Alexia Putellas winning the past two.
Ballon d’Or top 10
1. Aitana Bonmati (Spain and Barcelona)
2. Sam Kerr (Australia and Chelsea)
3. Salma Paralluelo (Spain and Barcelona)
4. Fridolina Rolfo (Sweden and Barcelona)
5. Mary Earps (England and Manchester United)
6. Olga Carmona (Spain and Real Madrid)
7. Alexandra Popp (Germany and VfL Wolfsburg)
8. Patricia Guijarro (Spain and Barcelona)
9. Linda Caicedo (Colombia and Real Madrid)
10. Rachel Daly (England and Aston Villa)