Šašić wins Best Women's Player Award

Celia Šašić has been voted the winner of the UEFA Best Women's Player in Europe Award for season 2014/15 ahead of Amandine Henry and Dzsenifer Marozsán.

Former FFC Frankfurt and Germany forward Šašić, who retired in July, topped the poll of a jury composed of 18 journalists each committed to supporting women's football, and selected by the European Sports Media Group (ESM). Šašić succeeds ex-Germany team-mates Nadine Kessler (2013/14) and Nadine Angerer (2012/13) in claiming the three-year-old award.

Šašić was top scorer in last season's UEFA Women's Champions League – which 1. FFC Frankfurt won – Frauen-Bundesliga and FIFA Women's World Cup. After receiving her award from UEFA President Michael Platini in Monaco, she said: "It’s amazing, but it's also a trophy for my team-mates, both from the national team and Frankfurt. They gave me good balls, so it's for them, too."

Voting process
• The initial shortlist of 12 was decided by lists provided by the eight coaches of both the 2014/15 UEFA Women's Champions League quarter-finalists and European FIFA Women's World Cup qualifiers, with the first player receiving five points, the second four points and so on.

• The top 12 overall were then the subject of a second round of voting by the panel of journalists.

• The three players with the most points from the second round of voting were shortlisted for the final round and went into the final electronic poll in Monaco.

Final votes from third round
1 Celia Šašić (Germany – FFC Frankfurt, now retired) 11
2 Amandine Henry (France – Olympique Lyonnais) 4
3 Dzsenifer Marozsán (Germany – FFC Frankfurt) 3

Other positions from second round
4= Verónica Boquete (Spain – FFC Frankfurt, now Bayern München) 8 points
4= Anja Mittag (Germany – Rosengård, now Paris Saint-Germain) 8
6 Eugénie Le Sommer (France – Olympique Lyonnais) 7
7 Ramona Bachmann (Switzerland – Rosengård, now Wolfsburg) 6
8 Wendie Renard (France – Olympique Lyonnais) 4
9 Caroline Seger (Sweden – Paris Saint-Germain) 3
10= Nadine Angerer (Germany – Portland Thorns) 2
10= Simone Laudehr (Germany – FFC Frankfurt) 2
12 Alexandra Popp (Germany – Wolfsburg) 0

*Shortlist involved 12 players as three were in joint tenth place after the first round

In total, 35 players received votes in the initial poll (those not in the 12-strong shortlist are named below in order of how they finished):
13= Shirley Cruz Traña (CRC – Paris Saint-Germain)
13= Stephanie Houghton (ENG – Manchester City)
13= Louisa Nécib (FRA – Olympique Lyonnais)
16= Élodie Thomis (FRA – Olympique Lyonnais)
16= Fara Williams (ENG – Liverpool)
18= Laure Boulleau (FRA – Paris Saint-Germain)
18= Lucy Bronze (ENG – Liverpool and Manchester City)
18= Kim Little (SCO – Seattle Reign)
18= Lotta Schelin (SWE – Olympique Lyonnais)
18= Lia Wälti (SUI – Turbine Potsdam)
23= Camille Abily (FRA – Olympique Lyonnais)
23= Lena Goessling (GER – VfL Wolfsburg)
23= Kheira Hamraoui (FRA – Paris Saint-Germain)
23= Tabea Kemme (GER – Turbine Potsdam)
23= Nadine Kessler (GER – Wolfsburg)
23= Manon Melis (NED – Göteborg)
23= Maren Mjelde (NOR – Göteborg and Avaldsnes)
30= Karen Bardsley (ENG – Manchester City)
30= Anna Blässe (GER – VfL Wolfsburg)
30= Kerstin Garefrekes (GER – FFC Frankfurt)
30= Caroline Graham Hansen (NOR – Wolfsburg)
30= Marie-Laure Delie (FRA – Paris Saint-Germain)
30= Jodie Taylor (ENG – Washington Spirit and Portland Thorns)