German midfielder Nadine Kessler wins 2014 Women's Player of the Year

German midfielder Nadine Kessler won the 2014 Women's Player of the Year, her first time receiving the honor. She got 17.52 percent of the vote to beat out Brazilian forward Marta (14.16%) and American forward Abby Wambach (13.33%). Marta was a five-time winner from 2006-10 and Wambach won in 2012.

The 26-year-old plays for VfL Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga, and is the second German in a row to take home the award, as goalkeeper Nadine Angerer won in 2013.

U.S. women's national team coach Jill Ellis voted Kessler first and Wambach second, while American captain Christine Rampone had Wambach first and didn't include Kessler among her top three. The U.S. did not have a media vote.