The Balloon d’Or 2023 ceremony took place on Monday night, 30th October. Aitana Bonmati won the women’s Ballon d’Or following a tremendous season with Barcelona in which she won the Spanish Women’s League, the Champions League, and the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 with Spain in the summer.
Ballon d’Or top 10
1. Aitana Bonmati (Spain and Barcelona)
2. Sam Kerr (Australia and Chelsea)
3. Salma Paralluelo (Spain and Barcelona)
4. Fridolina Rolfo (Sweden and Barcelona)
5. Mary Earps (England and Manchester United)
6. Olga Carmona (Spain and Real Madrid)
7. Alexandra Popp (Germany and VfL Wolfsburg)
8. Patricia Guijarro (Spain and Barcelona)
9. Linda Caicedo (Colombia and Real Madrid)
10. Rachel Daly (England and Aston Villa)
Notably, Arsenal Women’s Katie McCabe and Amanda Ilestedt finished 22nd and 15th, respectively. That said, there has been a backlash against the Ballon d’Or ceremony as far as the women’s game is concerned.
Many people are upset because the event was held when the women’s football stars were on international duty. The majority of the top women football players, or the 30 nominees, were not there to represent their national teams.
Arsenal’s Jen Beattie is one of the women footballers who has spoken out and asked the Ballon d’Or organisers to do better. She wrote on X:
“Beyond disappointing that the @ballondor was held during a women’s international break, making it pretty impossible for most of the nominees to even attend. Do better!”
Do you believe the Ballon d’Or organisers were insensitive not to consider the women nominees, who were all over the world, representing their national teams?
COYGW!
Michelle Maxwell
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DISCRIMINATION!!
Same thing happened after the WWC when, unlike their male counterparts, the ladies were not even given a months break before playing Champions League qualifiers.
Someone in FIFA and UEFA needs to be held accountable.
Shame on them!!
A fix! The only winners of the major honours are either Spanish blood or based in Spain. I am disappointed but not surprised that the British press set so much store by this award, not realising that Beth Mead or Sam Kerr were never going to win.
Are the press and public really so naïve?
Before you open your mouth and make false claims why not take a look at the achievements of the winner compared to the runner up and the person who came third?
Nah, you already know if you won or not before the event, just depends on the rest of the nominees to decide if they’re gonna attend or not. Many of the male nominees also didn’t bother to attended because they already know their fate (our stars included), except for those interested in the glam and finesse aspects of the ceremony. As an arsenal player though I’d urge her to focus on her football cos there lies her voice.