Zambia star Barbra Banda wins BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year Award
Barbra Banda is the 10th winner of the BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year awardZambia forward Barbra Banda has been named BBC Womens Footballer of the Year, after receiving the most votes from readers of the BBC Sport website.Banda was chosen from a five-player shortlist, with her performances from September 2023 to August 2024 being assessed by a panel of football experts worldwide, including coaches, players, administrators, and non-BBC journalists.The 24-year-old expressed her surprise at winning the award, saying, I am shocked and surprised to have this award right by my side. She thanked everyone who contributed to her journey, including her family, the Zambia national team, and her Pride teammates.Banda had an impressive year, scoring four goals for Zambia at the Paris Olympics, including a hat-trick against Australia, which made her the leading African goal scorer in Olympic history with 10 goals.In the 2024 National Womens Soccer League (NWSL) season, she scored 13 goals for Orlando Pride, including the winning goal in their championship final. She was also named MVP of the NWSL.Spains Aitana Bonmati came second in the voting, while USAs Sophia Smith finished third.
