KEY POINTS:
New Zealand women's soccer team captain Rebecca Smith has made the shortlist for the international football federation's (Fifa) women's world player of the year award.
While Oceania player of the century, Wynton Rufer and Smith's Football Ferns teammate, Maia Jackman, have both played in Fifa All Stars teams, no New Zealander has ever been nominated for a world player award.
The shortlist drawn up by experts from various Fifa committees is dominated by players who featured at this year' women's World Cup held in China.
Central defender Smith led New Zealand through a world cup campaign that ultimately ended with no points but plenty of plaudits.
Speaking from her Swedish home, where she is recovering from knee surgery that has ruled her out of football for her club Sunanna SK, Smith said she was humbled at appearing on the same list with players such as Germany's three-time world player Birgit Prinz and last year's Brazilian winner Marta, the World Cup's best player and top scorer.
"It's a huge honour just to be named alongside the best players in the world," Smith said.
"...as a small country playing a global sport it's easy to think we don't get seen. I think this is a sign that, as a team, we're beginning to get noticed."
Football Ferns head coach John Herdman was delighted for his captain, and said the nomination built on feedback coming from some Fifa officials.
"The team defended stubbornly and were given high regard from Fifa's technical study group for their defensive effort, and Rebecca was at the helm of that with her leadership and the way she brought her strengths to the matches."
Smith and Herdman will each get to cast a vote b as will all national team captains and head coaches for the 2007 award.
Fifa women's world player of the year nominees: Nadine Angerer (Germany), Adjoa Bayor (Ghana), Cristiane (Brazil), Daniela (Brazil), Lisa de Vanna (Australia), Formiga (Brazil), Christie George (Nigeria), Ragnhild Gulbrandsen (Norway), Duan Han (China), Ariane Hingst (Germany), Jie Li (China), Kristine Lilly (USA), Renate Lingor (Germany), Marta (Brazil), Perpetua Nkwocha (Nigeria), Bente Nordby (Norway), Cathrine Paaske SC6rensen (Denmark), Birgit Prinz (Germany), Un Suk Ri (Korea DPR), Christine Sinclair (Canada), Kelly Smith (England), REBECCA SMITH (NEW ZEALAND), Ane Stangeland Horpestad (Norway), Kerstin Stegemann (Germany), Ingvild Stensland (Norway) and Abby Wambach (USA).
- NZPA
