Before her, no Haitian footballer and/or player of Haitian descent (of either gender) had ever been nominated in the race for the world’s most coveted individual trophy. Getting there was no gift — in fact, it was at the cost of enormous sacrifices that Melchie Dumornay, despite her exceptional talent, managed to secure a place in the top 30 of the best female footballers on the planet and become a Ballon d’Or contender.

This season, Corventina — named for the first time in her career — finished second in the Arkema Première Ligue’s scoring chart with 16 goals and ranked third among the top assist providers. In OL Lyon’s race toward their 18th French championship title, the Haitian starlet was a key element and naturally made the league’s team of the season. Without a doubt, Corventina earned these honors thanks to her outstanding performances.