Copper Queens skipper Barbra Banda has been nominated for the 2025 Women’s Ballon D’or.
This is the second nomination for the Zambian star girl in a row. In 2024 she came out 12th, Spanish Midfielder Aitana Bonmati won the award.
The shortlist of 30 contenders for the 2025 Women’s Ballon d’Or was revealed on Thursday afternoon.
Banda became the highest ever ranked African female footballer in the Ballon d’Or feminin after finishing 12th. No African female footballer had ever been ranked higher than the Copper Queen.
Nigeria’s Asisat Oshaola finished 16th in 2022 and 20th in 2023 and missed out in 2024.
Banda is joined by another African star in Malawian international Temwa Chawinga.
Chawinga is nominated after a sensational season with Kansas City Current in which she notched up 20 goals and 7 assists in 28 matches, also claiming the US and Mexico Summer Championships Cup.
English players dominate the list with eight representatives, underlining the continued rise of the Women’s Super League.
Arsenal leads the British charge with four nominees: Mariona Caldentey, Steph Catley, Emily Fox, Frida Leonhardsen Maanum, and Alessia Russo.
Chelsea completes the English contingent with Lucy Bronze, Sandy Baltimore, Hannah Hampton, and Johanna Rytting Karneryd.
FC Barcelona has five nominees including reigning winner Aitana Bonmati who is well-placed to defend her crown, joined by teammates Caroline Graham Hansen, Patri Guijarro, Ewa Pajor, Claudia Pina, and Alexia Putellas.
The award ceremony will take place on September 22 at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris.
