On Monday, the great and good of world football will assemble at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris to celebrate the best of the globe’s favourite sport – and crown the men’s and women’s Ballon d’Or winners for 2024.
Only one African player – George Weah — has won the greatest individual prize in the sport, and while the continent has several nominees in the running for this year’s awards, are any of them genuine contenders?
The women’s Ballon d’Or: Banda, Chawinga hopeful…
For the first time in the six-year history of the Ballon d’Or Feminin, two African players have been nominated.
For context, in the award’s entire history, only twice has an African player been shortlisted – Bay FC’s Asisat Oshoala in 2022 and 2023 – but this time around, the continent has two players included in the world’s top 30.
There’s no place for Oshoala, but in her stead, Orlando Pride’s Barbra Banda and Lyon’s Tabitha Chawinga are in the running to become Africa’s first-ever winner of the women’s award.
In truth, they’re both behind the likes of Aitana Bonmatí, Caroline Graham Hansen and Ada Hagerberg in the pecking order, even though both can look back on magnificent performances during the period in question.
Brazil legend Marta and Zambia striker Barbra Banda formed a strong partnership up front for Orlando Pride this NWSL season, seeing them win the Shield. Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images
Banda has scored 13 goals in 21 outings for Orlando during the calendar year, including five ‘match-winning strikes’ following her arrival from China in a deal worth £582000 ($740000), making her the second most expensive African player in history, behind fellow Zambia striker Racheal Kundananji.
A strong understanding with the iconic Brazil striker Marta has certainly helped. “It’s a dream come true to associate with her, to be together with her, she always encourages me,” Banda told BBC Sport.
“She’s a legend and a very good person with the way we interact, the way she took me as a younger sister. It’s very awesome.”
Despite Zambia’s early exit at the Olympic Games, she again proved herself to be a force of nature, scoring another hat-trick – going with the two she scored in Japan three years ago – to become the first woman in history to hit three goals in three separate matches at the tournament.
She ended the campaign with four goals, behind only fellow Ballon d’Or nominee Marie-Antoinette Katoto, again reaffirming her place among the finest women in the sport, but appears to be just behind the leading pack for the 2024 awards ceremony.
Malawi international Tabitha Chawinga (second from right) is on loan at mega-team Lyon, but last year was Paris Saint-Germain’s premier player, earning her a 2024 Ballon d’Or nomination. Florencia Tan Jun – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images
Also once of the Chinese Women’s Super League, Chawinga becomes the first ever Malawian to feature in Ballon d’Or consideration, having starred in Europe in recent years.
She was the top assist-maker and scorer in Ligue 1 Feminin last season, bagging 19 for Paris Saint-Germain while on loan from Wuhan Jianghan University, and was duly named PSG’s Player of the Season following a series of notable contributions in the Champions League.
After a move to Lyon in July, Chawinga is already beginning to write the next chapter of her career in France, even though she appears to be an outside bet for the Ballon d’Or.
Meanwhile, her sister Temwa Chawinga of the Kansas City Current will be looking forward to next year’s nominations, after this month becoming the NWSL’s record scorer in a single season, overtaking Sam Kerr. She also became the first player to score against every NSWL opponent in a single season.
| Ed Dove, ESPN|
Comment:barbra is simply the best.