Great night at Ballon D'or for DFB Bundesliga's Wolfsburg
Credit: Extratime Team (ETPhotos)
Last night in Zurich, the FIFA Women’s Coach of the Year award was presented to Ralf Kellermann and FIFA Women’s Player of the Year to Nadine Kessler. Kellermann, the coach of VFL Wolfsburg, was rewarded for his heroic efforts in leading Wolfsburg to a double last season in which they won back to back UEFA Women’s Champions League and Bundesliga titles.
Wolfsburg won their second consecutive UEFA Women’s Champions League title in a hard fought 4 - 3 victory against Swedish side Tyreso FF. Trailing 2 - 0 at half time, Wolfsburg displayed a heroic comeback in the second half and were crowned UEFA Women’s Champions League winners for 2014.
Wolfsburg had another tough battle on their hands days later in order to win the Bundesliga title. Wolfsburg faced title contenders FFC Frankfurt in the final game of the season in front of over 12,000 fans. Wolfsburg held the lead at half time but found themselves level in the second half. It was Wolfsburg’s Alexandra Popp who scored the decisive goal on the 89th minute to seal a 2 - 1 victory.
Kellermann defeated head coach Norio Sasaki of current FIFA Women’s World Cup holders Japan and Maren Meinert who guided Germany to win the Women's Under-20 World Cup to the title of FIFA Women’s Coach of the year.
Nadine Kessler captain of VFL Wolfsburg picked up the FIFA Women’s Player of the year award. Kessler beat two former winners Marta of Brazil and United States forward Abby Wambach to the podium.
She received 17.52 percent of all votes, while Marta earned 14.16 percent and Abby Wambach 13.33%. Kessler captained her club side to the German women’s Bundesliga and UEFA Champions League titles two years in a row and also claimed the UEFA Best Women's Player in Europe Award for 2013/14 ahead of team-mates Nilla Fischer and Martina Müller.
Kessler also helped Germany finish a top of Group 1 to qualify for the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada this summer.
Next up on the big stage for the successful VFL Wolfsburg duo is the UEFA Women’s Champions League Quarter Final stages where they are set to play the first leg against Marta’s FC Rosengard of Sweden on March 22nd.
