Barbra Banda named BBC Women's Footballer of the Year
Barbra Banda has been honored as the BBC Women's Footballer of the Year for 2024.
The recipient of the BBC Women's Footballer of the Year award has been revealed, with the honor going to Barbra Banda, a standout player from Zambia and the Orlando Pride.
The 24-year-old expressed that she is "astonished and taken aback" by her victory in the award, which was determined by public voting.
Barbra, previously a boxer before transitioning to football, made headlines when she became the second priciest female player ever. This happened after Orlando Pride invested $740,000 (£581,000) to bring her on board from the Chinese team Shanghai Shengli.
She netted 13 goals for Pride during the 2024 regular season of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), along with four goals in the postseason games.
To cap it all off, she netted the decisive goal in the championship match on Saturday, leading the Orlando Pride to their first-ever title. Additionally, she was awarded the Most Valuable Player (MVP) honor for the league.
Barbra mentioned that it was challenging for girls in Zambia to get involved in football while growing up.
In the past, parents often doubted that girls could play football, which made it quite difficult.
My mom wasn't on board with it at first, but as women's football began to gain recognition in Zambia, she came to see the value in it and allowed me to pursue something I truly enjoy.
