BBC Girls’s Footballer of the Yr 2024 to be named on 26 November

Voting for the BBC Girls’s Footballer of the Yr 2024 has now closed.

Followers from internationally have been voting for his or her favorite from the five-player shortlist of Barbra Banda, Aitana Bonmati, Naomi Girma, Caroline Graham Hansen and Sophia Smith.

This would be the tenth award, having first been given out in 2015.

The winner will likely be introduced on Tuesday, 26 November on BBC World Service and the BBC Sport web site and app.

The 5 contenders for the accolade had been chosen by a panel of specialists, together with coaches, gamers, directors and journalists.

Here is extra on the 5 contenders vying for the honour.

Barbra Banda

Age: 24 Nation: Zambia

Membership: Orlando Satisfaction Place: Ahead

Barbra Banda was already a world celebrity after the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and 2023 World Cup, however her profile hit new heights when Orlando Satisfaction paid Chinese language membership Shanghai Shengli $740,000 (£581,000) to signal her in March.

The second most-expensive girls’s footballer – behind her Zambia team-mate Racheal Kundananji – Banda has lived as much as that standing within the NWSL – America’s prime league.

Regardless of becoming a member of Orlando Satisfaction late within the NWSL common season, the scientific striker has netted 13 objectives and sits second within the league’s scoring chart.

Already the primary feminine participant to attain successive hat-tricks on the Olympic Video games, having performed so in 2021, Banda as soon as once more dazzled on that stage this summer time.

The Zambia captain scored 4 objectives in Paris, together with a first-half hat-trick in opposition to Australia, to change into Africa’s all-time prime scorer in Olympic soccer historical past with 10 objectives.

Aitana Bonmati

Age: 26 Nation: Spain

Membership: Barcelona Place: Midfielder

Aitana Bonmati has as soon as once more discovered herself on the coronary heart of success for each Barcelona and Spain.

The inventive playmaker gained each doable trophy at membership stage as Barca secured a historic quadruple.

Bonmati scored a career-best 19 objectives throughout all 4 competitions as Barca gained a fifth straight league title, the Champions League, Supercopa and Copa de la Reina.

The 2023 Ballon d’Or winner netted the primary aim in Barca’s Champions League closing overcome Lyon and was named the competitors’s participant of the season.

And having helped Spain to carry their first World Cup trophy in 2023, Bonmati spearheaded their cost to the inaugural Nations League title in February with 4 objectives, together with one of their 2-0 win over France in closing.

Naomi Girma

Age: 24 Nation: United States

Membership: San Diego Wave Place: Defender

Defenders can usually fly beneath the radar, however that is not the case for Naomi Girma.

Described as “one of the best defender I’ve ever seen” by United States head coach Emma Hayes, Girma has impressed for each membership and nation.

The 24-year-old, whose mother and father had been each born in Ethiopia, made historical past in January when she was named the US girls’s participant of the 12 months – turning into the primary defender to win the award.

She performed each minute in her nation’s run to Olympic gold and the centre-back, recognized for her composure on the ball and management qualities off it, was broadly thought-about one in all their most pivotal gamers in the course of the match.

America’ triumph in Paris wrapped up a exceptional treble in 2024 after their success within the Concacaf Gold Cup and She Believes Cup.

There was related success for Girma at membership stage as San Diego Wave secured the NWSL protect and Problem Cup.

Caroline Graham Hansen

Age: 29 Nation: Norway

Membership: Barcelona Place: Winger

Typically thought-about one of the underrated gamers in world soccer, Caroline Graham Hansen grabbed followers’ consideration with a stellar 2023-24 season.

The artful winger, who is understood for dancing previous defenders, has struggled with damage all through her profession however starred on all fronts for Barcelona over the previous 12 months.

Because the Spanish aspect wrapped up a historic quadruple, Graham Hansen racked up an unbelievable 60 aim contributions in 40 video games.

She completed Liga F, which Barca gained for the fifth straight time, because the Golden Boot winner with 21 objectives.

They usually arrived at essential moments, too, along with her second-half strike in opposition to Chelsea finally taking Barcelona into the Champions League closing – and a hat-trick in opposition to Levante within the closing of the Supercopa.

Sophia Smith

Age: 24 Nation: United States

Membership: Portland Thorns Place: Ahead

There are usually not many strikers who’re extra in type than Sophia Smith.

The 24-year-old was an important cog in Emma Hayes’ United States gold-medal-winning machine, hitting the again of the online on three events at Paris 2024.

A very powerful of these was an extra-time winner in opposition to Germany within the semi-finals, with Smith cool and composed sufficient to position a fragile chip over the goalkeeper.

Smith additionally proved prolific within the SheBelieves Cup, scoring two objectives and changing her penalty within the shootout within the closing in opposition to Canada to earn herself the match’s Most Precious Participant accolade.

Nonetheless, her scorching goalscoring type for america ought to have come as no shock given her document at membership stage.

With the Portland Thorns, Smith completed the 2023 common season because the NWSL’s Golden Boot winner on 11 objectives – a tally she has already matched in 2024.

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