Kerolin's breakthrough season makes her a Bola de Ouro contender

France Football announced on Tuesday the Bola de Ouro finalists, yet the list of the player omitted Brazil’s Kerolin. Para a Bola de Ouro, her season seemed decisive, as the award recognises the melhor jogadora feminina do Mundo. Her 2025/26 campaign delivered a WSL title with Manchester City and a transfer to Barcelona, but she was left out.

Club triumph ends decade‑long drought

In her first full year in Inglaterra, Kerolin became a key figure in Manchester City’s Women’s Super League triumph, ending a ten‑year drought after six runner‑up finishes and Chelsea’s six‑year dominance. She missed seven of the opening nine rounds through injury, but returned at the end of 2025 to finish the campaign strongly.

During the final thirteen matches she contributed eight goals and four assists, including a hat‑trick in a 5‑1 demolition of Chelsea, the previous season’s unbeaten champions. The performance earned her February Player of the Month and made her the first Brazilian to lift the WSL trophy.

After the title‑winning season, Kerolin completed a historic transfer to Barcelona, a landmark deal for the Spanish club. The move underscored her rising stature and positioned her as a central figure for both club and country.

International influence grows as Brazil looks ahead

Kerolin has also become a pillar for the Brazil national team under coach Arthur Elias, often wearing the number 10 and being touted as a successor to Marta. In April she led Brazil to the FIFA Series title in Cuiabá, scoring two goals, providing two assists and being named the competition’s best player. Como a sua temporada credenciou a brasileira, she now commands a leading role in the re‑structured squad.

Her contributions helped Brazil win the Copa América double in 2025, where she netted three goals against Bolivia, and she featured in the 2023 World Cup and the 2024 Paris Olympics, scoring in the semifinal against Spain before the team secured silver. Looking ahead, she is expected to be a cornerstone for Brazil at the 2027 World Cup.