Paris, FRANCE – Jamaica and Manchester City forward, Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw is among the nominees for this year’s women’s Ballon d’Or, football’s most prestigious individual award, announced on Wednesday.

She is the first Jamaican, man or woman, ever to be nominated for the prize.

The powerful striker scored a club single-season record 31 times in 30 matches for Manchester City in the Barclays Women’s Super League last season, while also providing nine assists.

She is among 30 nominees shortlisted for the Ballon d’Or, led by Spain World Cup star Aitana Bonmati, who is the favourite to claim the award after being the outstanding player as the Spanish lifted the World Cup in Sydney last month.

Bonmati is one of four members of Spain’s World Cup-winning team nominated, along with Olga Carmona, Salma Paralluelo and Alba Redondo. Their compatriots Patricia Guijarro and Mapi Leon are also named.

Meanwhile, Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland are among the leading contenders to win this year’s men’s Ballon d’Or.

Messi, who recently left Paris Saint-Germain for Inter Miami, is in with a chance of succeeding Karim Benzema and winning the Ballon d’Or for the eighth time in his remarkable career after leading Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar last year.

Haaland may be his main rival for the prize after scoring 52 goals in 53 games to help Manchester City win the treble of Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup last season.

The Norway striker last week won the UEFA player of the year award for last season.

PSG’s Kylian Mbappe and Haaland’s City teammate Kevin De Bruyne also feature among the 30 nominees for the prize, the winner of which will be announced at a ceremony in Paris on October 30.

Benzema, who ended a 14-year spell at Real Madrid in June when he moved to Saudi club Al-Ittihad, is also nominated.

Additional reporting by AFP