Fan voting for 2024 Ballon d’ Or Awards which started on Monday with France-based Malawi women’s football icon Tabitha Chawinga, who was nominated for Player of the Year category, lobbying for their vote, won’t have any impact on the actual results, it has emerged.
The actual winners of the annual awards, organised by French magazine, France Football, will be announced at a gala on October 28.
In an interview yesterday, Tabitha’s manager Theana Msolomba said her client is “fully aware” that the fans’ vote on a Facebook page created by French newspaper L’Equipe won’t have any impact on the actual Ballon d ‘Or outcome.
“It was just about raising the hype because our friends in Zambia were putting fire to it by canvassing votes for their own Barbara Banda, otherwise Tabi is aware that there be no impact what-so-ever,” said Msolomba.
At press time, Tabitha was fourth on the list of fan vote with 8.5 percent while Aitana Bonmati of Barcelona in Spain, was leading the poll with 23 percent followed by Lauren James of Chelsea in England with 12.2 percent. Banda was third with 11.4 percent while Portilho was fifth with 8.1 percent.
According to the awards organisers website francefootball.fr, a sports journalist from each of top 100 Fifa ranked countries will vote for the actual winners.
Each journalist will select their top five picks from the shortlisted players, with each ranking earning different points value.
The first player will earn six points, the second will have four points and third three points.
The player on fourth will get two points while fifth selected player will be awarded one point.
The player who picks up the most points in the journalists voting will end up winning the award.
Tabitha is among 30 players in the Women’s Football Player of the Year category.
The Olympique Lyonnais Féminin striker is also one of the only two Africans nominated for the award alongside Banda of Orlando Pride in the US.
Tabitha faces stiff competition as she battles it out against some of the world best women’s football players, including 2023 Balloon d’ Or and 2023 Fifa Best Players Award winner Bonmati, James of Chelsea, England and Gabi Portilho of Corinthians in Brazil.
Tabitha’s nomination follows her exploits at her former side PSG last season where she won several awards, including 2024 French Professional Football Players Union Women’s Player of the Season accolade, 2024 French Arkema First Division Player of the Season and the league’s golden boot.
But prospects of winning the 2024 Ballon d’ Or look slim against her opponents, who have not just achieved at club level, but also at their national teams.
