Torrance's Shannon Boxx Named FIFA Women's World Footballer of the Year Finalist
L.A. Sol holding midfielder Shannon Boxx, a former South (Torrance) High star, was today named one of the 10 finalists for the annual FIFA honor. The U.S. Women's National Team player finished third in balloting for the award in 2005.
Also named to the list: her (hopefully) soon to be Sol teammate Marta.
The full list: Nadine Angerer (Germany), Shannon Boxx (USA), Cristiane (Brazil), Daniela (Brazil), Marta (Brazil), Birgit Prinz (Germany), Christine Sinclair (Canada), Kelly Smith (England), Hope Solo (USA) and Ingvild Stensland (Norway).
Boxxy stopped by the Home Depot Center Sunday to chat about the new Sol franchise, before the nominees were announced.
Here's some excerpts of what she had to say:
*On the new Women's Professional Soccer league and having a team in L.A.:
"It's very exciting to finally say that to be close to home we have a league, obviously I'm a product of the last league, so to be close to home - I've always wanted an L.A. team - to stay close to home and play in front of my friends and family, I'm very excited."
On how the team is coming together:
"I think we have a great team. ... (Coach) Abner (Rogers) is going to be playing possession style, I love that, so it's fitting for me as well ... We want to play style that's fun to watch."
BTW, here are the 23 nominees for the male award: Emmanuel Adebayor (Togo), Sergio Agüero (Argentina), Andrei Arshavin (Russia), Michael Ballack (Germany), Gianluigi Buffon (Italy), Iker Casillas (Spain), Deco (Portugal), Didier Drogba (Côte d'Ivoire), Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon), Cesc Fabregas (Spain), Steven Gerrard (England), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden), Andrés Iniesta (Spain), Kaká (Brazil), Frank Lampard (England), Lionel Messi (Argentina), Franck Ribéry (France), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), John Terry (England), Fernando Torres (Spain), Ruud van Nistelrooy (Netherlands), David Villa (Spain) and Xavi (Spain).
Winners are scheduled to be announced in January.
About 100 Percent Soccer
Sportswriter Nick Green has written the 100 Percent Soccer column since 2005 for the Daily News, Daily Breeze and other Los Angeles area newspapers. The blog of the same name began in 2007. A native of England, he began writing about soccer in the mid-1980s and in 2000 permanently exchanged a seat in the stands for one in the press box. He lives six miles from Carson's Home Depot Center, home of the Los Angeles Galaxy, Chivas USA and the training headquarters for U.S. Soccer and is married to a long-suffering soccer widow. Join Nick on FaceBook and follow him on Twitter.
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