Tabitha earns FIFA applause

Fifa president Gianni Infantino has described women’s football icon Tabitha Chawinga as an inspiration to girls not only in Malawi but across the world.

The world football governing body boss said this after meeting the PSG forward on Wednesday in Lilongwe during his visit to Malawi.

Said Infantino: “Very pleased and happy to meet Tabitha. She is a great football player, having played for top teams and playing for a top team in the world.

“But most importantly, I would say a role model for girls and women, not only in Malawi, but all over Africa, all over the world. She has a beautiful story which results in great success.”

Infantino, who took advantage of his visit to Malawi to meet Chawinga, said during the meeting they discussed issues relating to the development of women’s football in the country.

He said: “We shared two or three things what she can do to develop Malawi football. We discussed women’s football facilities which Fifa can help to build in Malawi. We have to be here for all of us to support. What she represents for so many girls and women around the world.

 “The fact that she made it and she is making it every day, with resilience and hard work, the passion and also with talent and you have talent in abundance in Malawi, the impossible becomes possible and also becomes real. I am very happy to meet her and looking forward to meeting her again.”

Tabitha said she felt honoured to meet the Fifa president and thanked him for pledging to support her initiatives.

The 27-year-old said as a role model, she will continue to inspire the girl child not only on the field of play but also in other areas such as education.

 “A lot of girls who look up to me, they are motivated by me. They [girls] believe they can do the same,” she said.

Tabitha has this year 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 she has also won the league’s golden boot with 19 goals.

This is in addition to other accolades such as 2015 Elitettan top scorer,  2017 Damallsvenskan top scorer,  2017 Sweden Forward of the Year, 2018, 2019, 2021 Chinese Women’s Super League top scorer, 2018, 2019 Chinese Women’s Super League Player of the Year, 2022-23 Serie A Female Footballer of the Year, 2023-24 UNFP Division 1 Féminine Player of the Year,  2023-24 Trophées FFF D1 Féminine Best Player and 2024 Division 1 Féminine Player of the Month for February and March.