Lloyd wins Best FIFA Women's Player award

Carli Lloyd retained her status as the golden standard in women's football Monday, following up her 2015 triumph by winning the inaugural Best FIFA Women's Player award.

The 34-year-old fended off competition from Olympic gold-medalist Melanie Behringer and five-time FIFA Women's World Player of the Year Marta.

Lloyd scored 17 goals in 21 matches for the United States women's national team, although her country failed to land a medal at Rio 2016, falling to Sweden in a penalty shootout.

She still finished as the only United States international to score multiple goals in three separate Olympics.

Only one other American has won the global prize in consecutive years: Mia Hamm.

"I honestly wasn't expecting this. I know Melanie, Germany, did fantastic in the 2016 Olympics, as well as Marta and Brazil. Both so deserving of this award," Lloyd said in speech. "I wouldn’t be standing up here without the help of my teammates. I also want to thank Jill Ellis and the coaching staff for really believing in me and really helping to evolve my game."

Although injury limited her performances at the club level with the NWSL's Houston Dash, Lloyd re-established her credentials on the world stage.

She had several multi-goal games, and recorded the seventh international hat trick of her career to go along with four assists in a Sept. 15 friendly thrashing against Thailand.

Germany did have a winner on the night, however, as Silvia Neid was recognised as the best women's coach of 2016. Neid, at the helm for more than a decade, guided her country to its first gold medal in Brazil.

The 52-year-old stepped down last August.