This year’s FIFA The Best awards had their notable moments. While both surprising and expected names claimed significant honors, it was the annual Women’s Team of the Year that drew particular attention, especially with many calling out the inclusion of Lindsey Horan. Though the USWNT midfielder received support from several figures, including Emma Hayes, Horan has now delivered her response to the criticism.

It is almost as if the Lyon midfielder is a persona non grata when it comes to these individual awards. To remind you, during the 2024 Ballon d’Or, Horan was nominated in the 30-player list to contest for the Golden Ball alongside Tripple Espresso and Alyssa Naeher. That saw her become a subject of criticism, with many fans having expressed their hope to see Naomi Girma in place of Horan.

This time, however, for the women’s Best XI team, Lindsey made the cut alongside Naeher and Girma. The USWNT skipper hadn’t shared her thoughts over the same up until now. Sharing a congratulatory post from the USWNT on her Instagram story, Horan wrote, “Proud to be alongside these two and also represent what an incredible year our National team has had.”

Of course, securing a spot on the FIFA team, particularly due to her national team performances, wouldn’t have been possible without the extra effort of Emma Hayes, who guided the American team to the 2024 Paris Olympics gold. Highlighting the former Chelsea boss’ role in her individual achievement, Horan added, “Andddd, obviously congrats to our coach @emmahayes 1!!! Thank you for help making us shine and more importantly, enjoy the hell out of it.“

Notably, Horan had tagged Naeher and Girma alongside Hayes, as all three reshared the story to acknowledge the US midfielder’s thoughts. Additionally, one can also call it a fierce response to all the critics who had been hating the Lyon star’s presence in the team alongside many other surprising names.

While Naeher and Girma are widely accepted as deserving names on the list, Horan’s inclusion has faced criticism. Nevertheless, she has no reason to be discouraged by the negative reactions from fans, as she has the backing of her most significant supporter.

Lindsey Horan gets the green light from Emma Hayes over FIFA The Best XI inclusion

Some passionate American fans took pride in seeing the Stars and Stripes trio earn a spot on the prestigious Best XI. The recognition also prompted national team manager Emma Hayes to celebrate her star players. The former Chelsea coach shared a graphic of Horan, Naeher, and Girma on her Instagram stories, accompanied by the caption, “Congrats to our amazing players.”

Interestingly, several big names rounded out the Best XI, including the highly anticipated American trio of Sophia Smith, Trinity Rodman, and Mallory Swanson. As for the Best XI, Naeher was named the goalkeeper, while the defense featured Irene Paredes, Ona Batlle, and Lucy Bronze alongside Girma. The midfield comprised Aitana Bonmatí, Gabi Portilho, and Patri Guijarro alongside Horan, with Caroline Graham Hansen and Salma Paralluelo leading the attack.

What are your thoughts on Lindsey Horan making the FIFA The Best XI women’s team? Let us know in the comments.