Olympique Lyonnais and Norway striker Ada Hegerberg has been crowned BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year 2017. Thousands of fans from across the world cast their votes as the 21-year-old beat second-placed Brazil forward Marta and third-placed Canada captain Christine Sinclair. The other nominees on the five-player shortlist for the BBC World Service award were Sweden keeper Hedvig Lindahl and Germany’s Melanie Behringer. “Wow, it’s a surprise,” said Hegerberg. “It’s a huge honour to win, with such big-name footballers nominated,” added the striker, whose club will seek to retain their Champions League title – to complete back-to-back trebles – when they face Paris St-Germain in Thursday’s all-French final in Cardiff.