London: Beth Mead, England and Arsenal forward is voted BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year 2022. Mead was the player of the tournament and top scorer at Euro 2022. The Lionesses defeated Germany in the final at Wembley to win England’s first major women’s football trophy. She came second in the Ballon d’Or Feminin and won BBC’s Women’s Footballer of the Year award in 2022.
The 27-year-old becomes the first women’s footballer to win the award. England cricket’s Test captain Ben Stokes was second with Winter Olympics curling champion Eve Muirhead third.
“I’m incredibly honored to win this award,” said Mead. “I wouldn’t have done it without the girls. The team have backed me. Yes, I’ve won this accolade, I’ve scored a few goals but I wouldn’t have done it without them.
“This is for women’s sport and women’s sport heading in the right direction. Let’s keep pushing girls, let’s keep doing the right thing.” Mead’s stellar performances at Euro 2022 saw her named the player of the tournament. She as well won the Golden Boot with six goals and five assists.
Her international goal tally for the 2021-22 campaign was 20 in 19 matches. Mead’s incredible year to remember.
She scored in four of England’s six games at the Euros, including a hat-trick against Norway in the group stage. As well helped England to qualify for next year’s World Cup with a 100% record. She did it without conceding a single goal.
The Euros was a first major trophy for the Lionesses. And first for a senior England team since the men won the 1966 World Cup.
Beth Mead in numbers
50/29 – England caps and goals, after making her international debut in April 2018
1 – WSL title, won with Arsenal in 2018-19
20 – The age that Mead won the WSL Golden Boot, the youngest ever winner of the award
55 – WSL career goals
77 – Goals for former club Sunderland, coming in just 78 games
61 – Goals for Arsenal. She joined the Gunners in 2017
166 – Appearances for Arsenal in all competitions
Domestically, Mead was in superb form for her club, Arsenal, before the tournament. She had scored 14 goals and provided 19 assists in 40 appearances in the 2021-22 campaign.
Mead’s 2022-23 campaign was shaping up to be just as prolific. But it was cut short after sustaining an Anterior Cruciate Ligament injury against Manchester United in November. The injury putting her hopes of playing at next year’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in doubt.
