Banda voted BBC Women's Footballer of the Year

Zambia and Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda has been voted BBC Women's Footballer of the Year.

She received the most votes from readers of the BBC Sport website after a five-player shortlist was announced last month.

The shortlist - based on performances from September 2023 to August 2024 - was selected by a large panel of experts involved in football around the world, including coaches, players, administrators and non-BBC journalists.

"I am shocked and surprised to have this award right by my side," the 24-year-old told BBC Sport.

"I would like to thank the people who voted and everyone who has played a part in my life and my career - my family, my national team in Zambia and especially the Pride team. It is for everyone."

Banda scored four goals for Zambia at the Paris Olympics this summer, including a first-half hat-trick against Australia, to become the leading African goalscorer in Olympic history with 10.

She scored 13 goals for Pride in 2024 National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) regular season, despite only joining in March, and four goals in the playoffs, including the winning goal in the championship final on Saturday as Orlando Pride won their maiden title.

Banda was also named Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the NWSL.

Spain and Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmati came second in the voting, while USA and Portland Thorns forward Sophia Smith finished third.

Norway and Barcelona winger Caroline Graham Hansen and USA and San Diego Wave defender Naomi Girma were also on the shortlist.

Banda became the second-most expensive women's signing in history - behind Zambia team-mate Racheal Kundananji - when she joined Pride from Chinese club Shanghai Shengli $740,000 (£581,000) in March.

"My aim always is to score because I love scoring," said Banda. "But it all starts from practice, having good training sessions and good talks with the coaches and team-mates.

"It has not been easy but I think hard work and consistency has really helped."

The Zambia captain, who came 12th in the 2024 Women's Ballon d'Or, is a former professional boxer who won all of her five bouts before switching focus to football.

"Growing up in Zambia has never been easy, especially as a young girl. It is so difficult for us to get into sport like football," she said.

"Parents never used to believe that women could play football so it was a challenge.

"My mum was not in support of it, but when women's football started being recognised in Zambia she came to understand and let me do what I love doing most."

Pride head coach Seb Hines told BBC Sport: "It is great to see Barbra getting acknowledged for what she has done, not only for our club but for African football.

"She is super humble and a good person and that means a lot to us to have good people in our team.

"She is a team player and, for all of the accolades that she has won and all of the goalscoring records that she has, she puts the team first."