The U.S. Women’s National Team truly had a historic 2015, and Monday’s FIFA Ballon d’Or gala capped off the year in style for the Women’s World Cup winners.
While USWNT midfielder Carli Lloyd captured the FIFA Women’s Player of the Year award, FIFA also named head coach Jill Ellis the 2015 World Coach of the Year for Women’s Soccer.
Ellis, who led the U.S. women to a 2015 FIFA World Cup title in Canada, is the second USWNT head coach to win the award, following in the footsteps of previous coach Pia Sundhage. Ellis led the USWNT to a record of 20-2-4 in 2015, including a seven-match unbeaten run throughout the World Cup.
“First and foremost, I want to thank the U.S. players, coaches and staff who made 2015 such a wonderful year for our team,” said Ellis. “Success is truly a team effort, and as a coach, we are all a product of the players and coaches we’ve worked with over so many years.
“They all deserve recognition and thanks for being a part of this amazing journey. I want to thank Sunil Gulati and U.S. Soccer for their continuing world class support and resources dedicated to the women’s game and of course all of my friends and family. I could not do this without their unconditional love and support.”
What do you think of Ellis’ award? Do you think the USWNT can replicate their World Cup success at the 2016 Olympic Games?
Share your thoughts below.
I would love to see what she would do with the men’s team.
Well deserved exclamation point – amazing that haters still doubt her!
I think Jill is very luck that injuries forced her to change things up in the WC. Her plan was failing and so were we
Injuries, but more importantly, a couple of yellow cards against Colombia that led to accumulation suspensions and the insertion of Morgan Brian into the midfield…