Club America, Scarlett Camberos are Ballon d'Or nominees in Liga MX Femenil first

It's another honor for Club América. The Mexico City club is the most successful Liga MX men's team, but its women's squad is earning attention as well. After winning the 2025-26 Concacaf W Champions Cup and the 2026 Liga MX Clausura, the club is the only team from outside Europe nominated for the Ballon d'Or, joining FC Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Manchester City and OL Lyonnes. The award has a brief history, first given out in 2023, but this marks the first time a Liga MX Femenil club has been named a candidate. In addition to being up for the club honor, América also has a player nominated on the 30-player shortlist to be named best player in the world by a panel of media voters. América's captain, 25-year-old Scarlett Camberos, becomes the first Mexico international to make the short list, which expanded to 30 names in 2023. The San Diego-born midfielder had three assists in the W Champions Cup final, helping América beat the Washington Spirit, 4-1. The Ballon d'Or's official website also cites Camberos' example as a player who fought against harassment, having been the victim of cyberbullying and hacking during her first spell at Club América. She returned to the U.S. to play with Angel City but returned to Club América, with her case being used by Mexican authorities to strengthen laws protecting victims of online abuse. What other players are up for the Ballon d'Or Féminin? Camberos is unlikely to win the award, which has gone to a European player six of the seven times it has been awarded. Megan Rapinoe's 2019 win after helping the U.S. win the World Cup in France is the only time a non-European won the trophy. FC Barcelona ace Aitana Bonmatí has won the last three but is not nominated after an ankle fracture suffered in September 2025 with the Spain national team kept her out for more than five months. Instead, Barcelona star Alexia Putellas, who won in 2021 and 2022, is the favorite to be awarded the prize after winning the UEFA Champions League and the Liga F and also coming out on top in the UEFA Nations League with Spain. Her Barcelona teammate Ewa Pajor, Haiti international Melchie Dumornay, Jamaica international Khadija "Bunny" Shaw, and Temwa Chawinga, who won NWSL MVP and helped Malawi to a first-ever World Cup qualification also are candidates. Chawinga's exploits at the WAFCON fell after the July 19, 2026 cut-off, and the award's official rules clarify that those accomplishments will be considered part of the 'current season' running through the summer of 2027. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Club America, Scarlett Camberos are Ballon d'Or nominees in Liga MX Femenil first Reporting by Jon Arnold, USA TODAY / USA TODAY USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect