Barbra Banda scooped BBC Award - Photo Courtesy FAZ Media.
Copper Queens striker Barbra Banda has dedicated her BBC Footballer of the Year Award to the fans.
Banda was voted winner of this year’s award from a shortlist of some of the biggest names in women’s football, including Barcelona and Spain midfielder Aitana Bonmati, San Diego Wave and USA defender Naomi Girma, Barcelona and Norway forward Caroline Graham Hansen, and Portland Thorns and USA striker Sophia Smith.
“I am out of words to describe the feeling. All I can say is thank you to everyone, the organisers @bbcsport , the experts who chose me for the nominee shortlist and each and everyone of you who voted, thank you,” Banda wrote on her social media accounts.
“This goes to the fans who support my career, my teammates who make everything possible and my coaches who give me proper guidance. It's been a rollercoaster year full of ups and downs but God has been with me all throughout.
“To the young girl in Africa dreaming big, keep that dream and work hard, am telling you it does come true.”
Meanwhile, the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) was greatly elated to learn of Banda’s achievement with President Andrew Kamanga saying the award is a perfect reflection of the strides made in the women’s game under his reign.
“On behalf of my executive committee and the entire Zambian football community, I wish to congratulate Copper Queens captain Barbra Banda on her BBC World Footballer of the Year accolade,” said Kamanga.
“It is a proud moment for Zambia and our football in general to get such high-level recognition. This comes on the back of her being named Most Valuable Player in the National Women’s Soccer League in the United States of America in her debut season,” he says.
“Banda is also in line for the CAF Women’s Footballer of the Year accolade race. It is a huge inspiration to emerging female footballers who stand to believe that if they work hard, they can achieve anything.”
Banda scored four goals for Zambia at the Paris Olympics this summer, including a first-half hat-trick against Australia, to become the leading African goal scorer in Olympic history with 10.
She scored 13 goals for Pride in 2024 National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) regular season, despite only joining in March, and four goals in the playoffs, including the winning goal in the championship final on Saturday as Orlando Pride won their maiden title.
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